


Clarity

by PorcelainLove



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Allergies, AngryTalk, Complete, Complications, Eventual Shepard/Garrus Vakarian, F/M, Garrus is clueless, Helpful not helpful, Masturbation, Oral, Shadow Broker - Freeform, Shepard is clumsy, Shepard is naughty, Xenophilia, fornax
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-09-28 16:41:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10139108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PorcelainLove/pseuds/PorcelainLove
Summary: When Garrus decides to be helpful, Shepard is quite unimpressed. He should also learn to lock his datapad at all times.First chapter is rated T, subsequent chapters will be E.





	1. Chapter 1

“Vakarian!”

Garrus cocked his head towards the faint noise that reverberated through the ship. The blast doors to the main battery were tightly sealed but it sounded as if…

“Garrus!”

The sound was closer now, and Garrus could hear the anger in his Commander’s voice and he placed his datapad on a nearby crate and turned towards the door. Gesturing at the sensor, he unlocked the door and got a face full of seething human for his trouble.

“Can I help you, Commander?” He managed to sound just the right amount of curious and wary, not entirely sure whether her tone suggested he should already know the reason for her anger. At that, Shepard’s mouth tightened and her hands balled into fists at her side. Ah, something he had done, then.

“Commander, I must say that I need more than a glare to discern what it is that I have done to anger you.” His mandibles twitched as Shepard drew herself up to her full height, a feat that would have been more imposing had Garrus not been a foot taller than her to begin with. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“I was on my way to Aria’s when I was ambushed.” She began, clearly unamused. “That by itself would not normally be a problem. However, upon reaching for my favourite pistol, well, I’ll let you figure out the rest.” The glare didn’t lessen in intensity and Garrus began to feel that prickly feeling on the back of his neck, the same feeling he always got when his father was displeased with him when he was still a youngling back on Palaven.

“I’m sorry Shepard, I don’t follow. Were you angry that I wasn’t there with you? You certainly seem to be in fit condition.” He inhaled and noted a tinge of smoke hovering around her person. The smell of burning?

Shepard advanced, stabbing her index finger into Garrus’s armored chest plate with every word. “Carnifax. My gun was replaced with a piece of shit--” she paused, drawing the weapon from her holster and looked at it more closely. “Whatever the hell this is.”

“Paladin?” the Turian supplied, weakly.

“Paladin, then.” The gun slammed down beside the datapad, drawing a wince from both parties. Shepard flexed her fingers, slowly rotating her right shoulder in its socket.

Garrus blanched, his face plates turning a mottled blue-grey. Ah. Shit.

“Shepard-“he began, arms already raised in supplication, begging for mercy. “It was only supposed to be for a few days, I didn’t think you’d be going on any missions so I thought it best to-“

“Best to what, Garrus? Take my main weapon away without telling me? Replace it with a weapon that shoots for shit and doesn't even have enough stamina to take down a reaper without overheating? What the hell were you thinking?” Oddly enough, she seemed to be calming down. Most of her anger was likely directed at the situation and not, technically, at his person.

“I’m sorry, truly. I had thought to surprise you with a few modifications but they hadn’t come in yet.” His tone was embarrassed and he hung his head in shame. What had he been thinking, taking her weapon without her permission? It was a stupid thing to do, and careless. Her words echoed his precisely.

“It was stupid, Garrus. Stupid and careless. If I wasn’t with Liara who knows what would have happened.

“Were either of you injured in the attack?” He didn’t see any evidence of injuries on her person but there was that slight singed smell that didn’t seem to be leaving his Commander’s general area.

“Liara was fine. She threw up a shield. I was grazed while I was trying to reload this stupid piece of shit.” She gestured angrily at the gun once more and leaned back into the door that had closed at some point after she had arrived. She rotated her shoulder again with a wince and let out a long sigh.

“Anywhere to sit around here?” She looked around the battery, seeing nothing that looked likely or that wasn’t covered in spare parts.

Garrus still hadn’t moved, likely concerned he would somehow provoke her anger with any motion. Shepard sighed again, anger draining out of her in an instant. “Garrus?”

He started, glancing around briefly before pulling something suitable out from behind his personal gun locker. Brushing off the oil splattered across it to the best of his ability he motioned from Shepard to sit. Pushing herself off the door she did so, passing under Garrus’s chin to get to the seat. The smell was quite strong now and he gave her a quick once-over to look for the graze she had mentioned.

“It’s not that I’m mad about the gun itself, Garrus.” She continued, leaning up against the locker as she did so. Quirking an eyebrow at the still hovering Turian she lightly kicked him in the shin and gestured for him to sit with her. Throwing out a spur he managed to draw another chair from somewhere in the area and thumped down beside her.

“I just don’t like surprises, you know that. How would you have felt if I switched your favourite rifle with something else, without telling you?

“Point taken. Apologies Shepard, it won’t happen again.” Suitably chastised, he felt the need to make it up to her.

“Where is my gun, anyway? What were you doing with it in the first place? And don’t say-“

“Calibrations.”

“Calibrations.” Shepard finished, dryly. “Of course you were. What sort of calibrations did it need and why didn’t you ask me first?”

“One of my old contacts from C-Sec contacts me from time to time regarding new weapons that make it on to the Citadel. While many are illegal, owning parts of the whole is  not. Technically. There is this new piece that, if my calculations are correct, should increase your clip size and firing speed considerably. It was supposed to arrive yesterday.”

“And?”

“And it didn’t. I had been hoping that I would be able to pay after the fact, as usual, but my contact wanted payment upfront this time and I haven’t been able to make the time.” He exhaled. What a nuisance. He had been hoping to get Shepard a nice gift, just a thank you for the many times she had saved his hide, and he had messed up. Big time.

“Well, now’s your chance big guy.” Garrus cocked his head towards the Commander inquisitively. She tapped her shoulder twice with her left hand and pulled the fabric of the suit taut so he could see the dark mark better. Ah, that’s where the smell was coming from.

“A stray bolt managed to get me in an armor joint and although there is no lasting damage, according to Chakwas, I should try not to get into any more shootouts before it heals. Should only take a few days or so, depending on how often I apply the medi-gel. So you have tons of time to make it up to me and calibrate my pistol into deadly perfection.” She smiled warmly, anger clearly forgotten by this point.

“Understood, Shepard.” He leaned up and grabbed the abandoned datapad from above his companion and typed a few lines. A few moments later a notification pinged and Garrus’s mandibles twitched into a toothy smile.

“She agreed to meet me tonight for the trade. I will have everything ready for you by tomorrow morning, you have my word.”

“She, huh?” Shepard teased lightly.

“Yes, she. Maelia was one of my old partners and we have kept in touch. Her clan was from the same region as mine, before Palaven…” He trailed off, conversation taking an abrupt turn to something less pleasant before Shepard brought it back into lighter territory.

“A Turian? Not many female Turians working with C-Sec. You two much have had quite the bond if you’ve kept up with each other after all this time. What kind of trade is she looking for? If it’s my weapon, I can supply the credits.” She suggested, brow narrowing in confusion at Garrus’s negative shake of his head.

“Not that kind of trade, I’m afraid. She supplies me with the parts I request and in return I take her out-“

“On a date? Garrus, you sly varren! I’m not sure which of you is getting the better part of the deal.” A forced laugh escaped her lips.

“To DINNER.” He clarified.

“Same thing, Garrus. If a girl wants you to take her out, period, it isn’t just a work relationship. No,” she held up her hand against her protestations and continued, “I’m a woman, I understand these things. Now how long has this been going on?”

“A little over two years.” He mumbled darkly. It was just dinner, right? Surely he above all people would know if someone was coming onto him. He had never smelled anything that would have suggested anything else and Turians, even a bad one like him, would certainly be releasing pheromones if they were at all interested in the other party. But then, Maelia always seemed to be wearing a scent that covered up her natural one completely so maybe… No. Shepard was wrong.

“Two years? You’ve been going on dates with a lady someone for over two years and you never realized…” She palmed her forehead, fingers digging at her temples. “You, my friend, are as dense as a rock. And as hard as one too,” she said grudgingly, showing him the finger with which she had poked him earlier. It had pink lines across it, a superficial layer of skin she hadn’t even noticed she missed until just now. It ached slightly. “Now there is no way you’re going to get me a gift, even if I would love it as much as you suggest, from your girlfriend.”

Garrus’s eyes widened in shock. This conversation had certainly taken an odd turn.

“Maelia is not my girlfriend, as you so delicately put it. We are just friends, I am certain. Besides, there are certain smells that females give off… Anyway, that is not the point. Besides, I have no feelings for her now, or any of Turian, other than platonic affection.”

“Well you’d better let her know that.” The Commander countered. “If I was seeing someone on a fairly regular basis for two years, I would probably think we were something other than coworkers. Especially if things continued past dinner…”

“Just,” she began slowly. “Look, I know it’s none of my business but if you aren’t interested in something, you need to let her know. Take it from me, stringing someone along isn’t in anyone’s best interest. I know Turians regard blowing off steam in a different way from us humans, but after that length of time… Anyway.”

Garrus stared at his Commander – his friend – in silence. He hadn’t really thought much of his interactions with Maelia. They had certainly ‘blown off steam’ as it was so delicately put, a few times in the beginning but now their interactions rarely happened outside of the restaurants they went to. No, he was sure he was correct. Turians were not a particularly subtle people, if a female Turian wanted a male she would certainly have taken control and made that known.

The silence between the Human and Turian lasted a few minutes as they both contemplated what the other had said.

“Well, I should go. I seem to have worn out my welcome.” Shepard stood up abruptly, bumping her injured shoulder into the crate behind her. Garrus’s datapad clattered to the floor and as he rose to retrieve it, he noticed Shepard had stopped moving and was grimacing in what was unlikely to be pleasure.

“You wouldn’t happen to have any spare medi-gel lying around, would you?” She asked him. “If I head back to sickbay right now Chakwas will probably rope me into going for a full-body scan to make sure none of my cybernetics were affected by the shot. She’s a great doctor, to be sure, but I don’t think I want to spend a few hours getting analyzed right now.”

He nodded understandingly. Chakwas could get very easily distracted while trying to maintain the health of the crew. He himself had accidentally ingested some non dextro alcohol a while back and while he only developed a mild stomachache, she had wanted to run a full spectrum analysis to ensure he had nothing else wrong with him.

“Sure Shep, give me a moment.” He headed towards a small locker at the back of the room and managed to locate a small container with the gel she needed. Heading back, he noticed that Shepard had picked up his pad from the floor and replaced in upon the crates. She was also very deliberately averting her gaze from Garrus and as he drew nearer he saw why. When the pad had hid the floor it had somehow activated the literature he kept archived. Well, if it could be called literature. He could lie to himself and her and say he only kept the magazine for the articles but the mostly naked Asari on the pull-out illustration of last month’s Fornax magazine begged to differ.

Standing in front of Shepard, Garrus passed over the gel and it was quickly spirited away into some inner pocket of the Commander’s clothing. She caught his gaze and flushed slightly, mumbled some promise about returning it to him promptly, thumbed the lock on the door and vanished from sight.

Rubbing his fringe he turned back towards the open datapad, only realizing upon looking at it again that this month’s edition didn’t feature any Asaris. The figure was humanoid and covered in blue paint, the white and blue speckled pattern of her skin and the foreign colour glowing dimly against the black backdrop. Ah yes, this was the special edition that featured only human female models. He looked at the picture again and flushed, his blue skin turning deep navy as the blood rushed to his head. And that wasn’t paint she was covered in.

He glanced out the still open doors to the elevator where the Commander had all but fled, and back to the datapad.

“Fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by Sauronix - thanks darling!


	2. Chapter 2

The trip from the main battery back to her cabin was relatively quiet and thankfully empty of crew.  Shepard felt rather silly dashing off and could now think of a thousand other ways to have ended the conversation less awkwardly.  Hopefully Garrus wouldn’t be too uncomfortable the next time they met; she certainly couldn’t bring up the magazine and comment on how it was only natural and laugh it off as something every male did. 

Reaching her room, there was a hydraulic hiss as the doors closed behind her and the calming sound of water and bubbles filled her ears.  She walked towards her aquarium, resting her forehead against the cool glass as dozens of tiny aquatic lifeforms darting to and fro in an effort to get at what they thought was food. Drawing a forefinger across the glass, her favourite fish – a metallic blue Illium Skald– followed and nibbled at the barrier.  Smiling, Shepard pushed herself off the wall and went to sit down on her bed, hand waving past the food sensor on the way.  As the feeding frenzy began, Shepard kicked off her boots and lay back onto the soft sheets.

Reflecting on her day, she was surprised to find that she had lost all of her anger.  Granted, the attack wasn’t anything she couldn’t have handled well enough on her own, and her anger at the time had enabled her to push past the initial pain in her shoulder and headshot all her attackers with ease.  Well, almost.  Liara had Lifted the last merc and Shepard let pettiness take over and shot him in the dick.

Garrus should have been with her, and that’s more why she was angry. Not at the ambush, not at her slow reaction time, not even really at the gun (although a Paladin, really? Her grenade launcher had more accuracy.)  He always had her six, he would have spotted the ambush from a mile away and never would have let anything come close to hitting her.  But he had begged off, blaming prior obligations or something.  Even though Shepard wasn’t willing to admit it, even to herself, even just seeing him after the ambush had cooled her temper considerably.

Ruefully, she rubbed her index and forefinger together gently.  Damn if his skin wasn’t as hard as rock, though. If only roughly touching him scratched her finger like this, was it a wonder Turians never seemed to mate outside their species? One could only imagine the chafing that might ensue with a coupling outside of the species… And where did that come from?

Shepard blinked once, twice, trying to clear the naughty cobwebs from her mind. She had, of course, never really been averse to being with another alien race, casual or long-term.  She had briefly dated Kaidan back when she first became a Spectre, if a few one-night stands could be called dating. And she and Liara had shared a few moments before it became clear to them both that they were better friends than lovers. Mind-melding had been a bit too intense, if she was being honest.

Reaching under her bed, she grabbed the first thing she came into contact with and brought it to her face. _Fornax: Special Human Edition_.  This. This was the root of her problem. While hiding something away on a datapad could be relatively easy, except if you were Garrus it seems, Shepard always preferred something physical.  Being able to hold something in this age of AIs and amazing technology, it always felt nice to be able to hold something in your hands, know it was real and not just a bunch of 1s and 0s.

Sitting up, Shepard flicked through the magazine as she had so many times before. The models were all human females, of various races and colours, but most of their partners were not human.  Towards the front of the mag there were photos of relatively innocent touching. A brunette woman being held by a Turian. A thick Hanar tentacle draped across a pair of shapely black breasts. A curvy Asian woman riding the neck of a large, red Krogan. All the participants were naked, of course, but there seemed to be limited overt sexuality.  Skipping to the last half is where it got more interesting, more hardcore, and why the magazine wasn’t available for purchase unless one was over the legal age of their respected races.

A naked Salarian was being pleasured by a red-headed woman, her round bottom main focus of the scene. A Drell and Hanar treating another red-head to the same sort of hospitality. A pair of Krogans pounding into what looked like twins, screams of silent ecstasy from the women, the Krogans’ heavy testicles thudding into glistening olive skin. Oh, this one had a 10 second video loop. Must have missed that the first time.

Turning the page, she reached the image she had last seen on Garrus’s datapad. The human was covered in what could only be of Turian origin.  Blood being blue, it made sense that their ejaculate would also be as well. The woman looked drenched but was smiling at the camera in a way that didn’t seem like she hadn’t enjoyed it. The blue liquid trailed down her stomach and emphasized that her fingers were inside her body.

  
“Hmm.” Said Shepard, aloud. “Looks like someone had a very good time.”  While being covered in ejaculate from any race didn’t hold much appeal for her, she admitted that looking at the blue on white made an interesting heat grow down below.

The final picture was obviously a continuation of the previous shoot. It was the same woman, cleaned up and wearing just enough makeup to fake being natural. She was propped up against a window, Citadel Tower vaguely seen in the distance, and being held by one of the most handsome Turians Shepard had ever seen.  His steel grey hands encircled the woman’s waist and with her one leg propped up over his waist, you could clearly see he was deeply inside her. The two of them had their foreheads pressed together and Shepard noticed the blue paint on the Turian’s face looked remarkably similar to Garrus’s markings.

This one also had a 10 second video loop. The Turian moving slowly in and out of the woman, his thick grey shaft pumping steadily as his partner bit her lip in pleasure before kissing his mandible and pressing their foreheads together with a smile.  The video looped for a few more cycles before Shepard closed the magazine, breathing a little less steadily than she had before she opened it up. She carefully eased a hand down the front of her jumpsuit, pulled open the zipper and slipped her hand inside. She was sopping wet and as she closed her eyes she began to imagine what it might feel to have someone else’s hands down there. Playing with her. Inside her. She moaned at the thought, her mind transforming her own five digits into three thicker ones. Harder ones. Bluer ones. She flicked with a nail and wondering what kind of pleasure bordering on pain a talon could bring.

Wait, what.  Her eyes snapped open and she withdrew her hand from inside her suit, sitting up in the process. Where had that come from?

Shepard eyed the discarded magazine with suspicion. Was it turning her into some kind of xenophiliac? Would she start being unable to look Wrex or Grunt in the eye without blushing?  Would Legion somehow start starring in her fantasies?  This was too much.

Shaking her head she got off the bed and headed towards her washroom. Nothing a cold shower couldn’t fix.

She peeled off her suit and undid her bun, blonde hair falling heavily against her back when the thought hit her.

“Liara?” She pinged her friend on the communicator inside the washroom door.  A soft voice answered her moments later.

“Yes Shepard?” She sounded concerned.

“I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

“Your shoulder?” Ah, of course that would be the first thing on her mind.  Liara really was a great friend.

“No, no, sorry. Actually I had a question that the Shadow Broker might be able to help answer for me. Do you think you can help?”

“Of course Shepard, tell me your problem.” The quiet tones in Liara’s voice were so relaxing. Shepard could almost drift off to sleep just listening to Liara speak.

“Fornax, you know it?” There was an exclamation of surprise on the other end, and a muffled snort. Then a polite cough.

“Yes, I may have… heard of it once or twice. Or had to dispose of one I found in the shower rooms that was a little more than… contaminated.” Gross.

“I am chasing a lead here, bear with me Liara.” There was an acknowledging hum. “The regular edition of the magazine you can buy either physically or online, is that correct?”

“That is correct, Shepard.”

“But the special editions, say, for example, Krogan Edition or Drell Edition, those are pre-order only, are they not?” There was a slight pause and a tapping sound echoed as Liara checked.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“I am chasing down this rogue … Turian, who seems to have a fascination with the human female. My sources say he bought of copy of the most recent Special Human edition of Fornax. Would you be able to send me a list of who purchased the magazine and their location ID associated with the purchase, just to help me track him down?” She held her breath, waiting for the Asari to ask more questions about the admittedly odd request.  Instead there was a triple beep from the datapad that sat on her desk and an amused chuckle sounded from the com.

“Sent, Shepard. Have fun chasing down your lead. I hope you get your… Turian. Call me if you need anything else, and don’t forget to apply that medi-gel or I’ll have to tell Doctor Chakwas you’re not heeding her instructions.” She signed off.

The Commander walked over to the pad and accessed the data, scrolling through the surprisingly large list of names until she found the one she was looking for.

_Vakarian, Garrus._ And he was on the Normandy when he purchased it? How interesting… She turned the datapad off and rubbed her shoulder.

Time for a shower.


	3. Chapter 3

It was many hours later when Garrus finally arrived back at the Normandy with a collection of weapon parts and a stinging cheek. Maelia had not been quite as accepting as Garrus might have liked and although she still did give him the parts he had requested, their goodbye had a sort of finality. 

As he made his way back down to the main battery, he passed a few crew members who briefly nodded, acknowledging his presence.  Miranda and Liara were stuck in deep conversation but trailed off as Garrus grew near and they both motioned for him to join them. 

“Garrus, please come and talk with us. We have not seen you for a while.” Liara began, smile gracing her face. “Miranda and I would love for you to join us. Sit.”

“I…” Garrus paused, torn between wanting to collapse into bed and yet not wanting to seem rude.  Not to mention he needed to work on fixing Shepard’s gun before she used him as target practice.  He hesitated for a moment, and that’s all it took for Miranda to take control.

“Garrus. Sit down.” Her voice was commanding and didn’t allow for any excuses. She actually scared him a bit. He had gotten over his initial distrust of anyone associated with Cerberus but he never felt quite comfortable in her presence.  He sat down, placing the parts bag delicately on the table before him.

“Where are you coming back from at this hour? Liara was polite as ever. Garrus suspected she already knew – she seemed to know everything that happened on the ship even if she claimed on multiple occasions to not be monitoring the communications networks. “Hot date?”  Yeah, she knew all right.

Garrus’s eyes narrowed as the infamous Shadow Broker’s face broke into an innocent smile. Miranda looked none the wiser but he could never tell with her - her poker face was the stuff of legend aboard the Normandy.  


“Business meeting with an old friend.” He began, loosely. “We had an arrangement and I was fulfilling my end of the bargain.” Gesturing to the bag, “And getting my part.”

“An old friend, you say? Do most business meetings end with physical violence?” Damn Miranda’s perfect eyesight. He shifted his injured cheek away from her in an effort to hide it.

“A minor disagreement, now a thing of the past. Please do not be concerned.”

“A minor disagreement, even between friends, can weigh awfully heavy on one’s mind.” Liara. “Tell us about it.” She got up and moved towards the canteen, bringing back drinks for the three of them.

Realizing he wasn’t going to get out of this situation with as much ease as he got in, he reached for the drink Liara had placed closer to him and inhaled. Coffee? He took a sip. It was delicious.

“I had an arrangement with an old coworker. We met, traded and left. My contact assured me she no longer wishes to speak with me. Not much to tell, really.”

Miranda and Liara exchanged a look.

“Now I really should be going. I have to sleep and prepare the Commander’s package for her.”

“A present, is it?” Miranda asked, amusement evident in her tone. “Liara, have you ever gotten a present from Garrus?”

“No, Miranda, I have not. How unfair. What makes the Commander so special, Garrus?”

Garrus had had enough of their blatant teasing and moved to stand up. Miranda’s eyes flashed blue and Garrus suddenly found himself unable to move his arms or legs at all. He growled, subharmonics and teeth showing his displeasure.  Miranda and Liara appeared not to notice and it was only then that Garrus saw all the other crew members had disappeared to their respective rooms, leaving the three of them alone in the mess hall.

“Miranda,” he glared fiercely at her while he spoke. “Let me go.”

“No.” And with that, she got up and walked away. The door to the observation room hissed dimly in the background as Liara rested her hands on the table. The Turian felt a shiver travel from fringe to toes, an effect of the biotics. His skin shimmered an electric blue as the energy coursed up and down his body.

“Garrus, we need to talk.”

“Couldn’t we do that without biotics? This hardly seems fair.” There was no point in trying to break loose, Miranda’s powers were considerable and terrifying. “And why did Miranda leave me like this?”

“We wanted to make sure you couldn’t avoid us, as you were trying to do. Besides, she will return when we are finished our conversation.”

“And the biotics?”

“Training.”

Garrus sighed. “Fine, ask your questions. I don’t understand why you’re treating me like an enemy however.” He relaxed as much as his body would allow.

“What are your intentions regarding Commander Shepard?” He didn’t see that one coming. He thought for sure she was going to verbally blast him for not coming with them on the trip to Purgatory.

“Intentions? I have no intentions.”

Liara gave him a look and rolled her eyes. “Garrus, I am not easily fooled.  I know where you were today and who you were with. Maelia is a beautiful Turian female, both smart and strong in equal measure. She was clearly interested in you, and had been for a very long time. And yet here you are, back on board the Normandy. You have prioritized your Commander over another female who was very interested in you, one that you have not hesitated to bed in the past. That leads me to believe you have no interest in this Turian because you are interested in someone else: Shepard.” She paused for breath, or dramatic effect, who could be sure. “I love Shepard. I do not want anyone taking advantage of her. And we both know Turians never give gifts without expecting something in return.”

“I expect nothing in return from the Commander-”

“Garrus.” There was a slight kick to his shin, as if in annoyance.

“Well, I have always been a rather bad Turian.”

“Garrus.”

“And you are assuming quite a lot.”

“Garrus.”

“Having no interest in Maelia sexually does not mean I am attracted to any female that walks in front of my visor.”

“Am I wrong?”

There was a pause. “No.” He sighed. “No, you’re not wrong.”

Liara was right and he was fooling himself to say that he hadn’t noticed Maelia react in certain ways towards him over their many, many months of meet-ups. And she certainly was intelligent, as just as tough as he was – if not tougher if her ability to survive and thrive in a male-dominated industry such as C-Sec was any indication. She actually reminded him of Shepard, in many ways. But after their first few meetings finishing up in a bedroom, he had to admit that being with a Turian just wasn’t as satisfying as it once was. He craved something else, but he hadn’t known what at the time. Something other than hard planes, bony plates and tough scales. Something impossible.

“And then what are your intentions?”

“I don’t…” He trailed off, uncertain. “I don’t know. I hadn’t really given it much thought. But nothing bad – never bad, not to her.” He dragged a talon through his fringe in frustration before realizing that he could, in fact, move again. 

Miranda, having appeared silently over Liara’s left shoulder, approached the table once more.

“Someone’s coming.” She jerked her head towards the elevator. “Perhaps you’d like to finish this conversation elsewhere?”

“No, thank you Miranda, I believe Garrus and I are finished.” She stood up and stretched, smiling warmly once again. 

He stood up stiffly and somewhat warily. Grabbing his bag, he moved swiftly to the relative safety of his cabin, giving the two women a wide berth.

When Garrus had vanished, Miranda gave Liara a long look.

“What was that all about?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Not particularly, no. Just curious as to why you required me to help you.”

“Training?” The Asari laughed softly as her companion raised a delicate eyebrow in disbelief. “In all honesty, I suspect Garrus still does not fully trust you. I needed that edge.”

Miranda bit her lip thoughtfully. “An edge for what?”

“Nervous energy reinvigorates the brain. I needed him to really think about what I was asking, awaken some questions in his mind.”

“What questions?”

“I thought you did not wish to know?”

“I don’t.” Miranda sighed. “But I am curious at the same time.”

“Matchmaking.” A bigger smile.

“I’m sorry I asked. You are one evil Asari.”

“Only when it comes to my friends.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is slowly getting away from me and I'm loving it. Miranda wasn't even supposed to be in this, initially. Oh well!  
> This chapter has a mild rating, I guess, although the next chapter I'm planning goes a bit more into Garrus's POV and will likely get more dirty.
> 
> Thank you for reading and commenting, it really helps me keep going. Hopefully the characters, OOC or not, are at least entertaining. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Garrus spent the next few days in his cabin, with the occasional trip outside for food and to stretch his legs. He wasn’t a huge fan of Omega but the vastness of the station enabled him to avoid certain members of the Normandy’s crew with relative ease. EDI, he had found out, was sympathetic and kept him informed as to when Liara was in the area.

He was annoyed with the Asari. Not angry, exactly, but definitely not pleased. Liara was not one to be extremely selfish so he knew that in cornering him and calling him out she was actually trying to be helpful.  She failed, but Garrus had been through too much with her to really hold a grudge, especially since she helped him come to terms with his feelings towards Shepard.

Shepard. And there was the conundrum. He had been through everything with her, from chasing after Saren and learning the truth about the Reapers, to nearly dying together on the Collector’s Base.  He had never lost hope that she would be alive after the events that led to the destruction of the Crucible. Through thick and thin they had always managed to find each other, be there for each other.

And until recently he thought that’s all it ever would be, an undying friendship between two very unlikely partners. He felt his breath hitch as he mentally cursed Liara. He had been happy with what he had and now that part of him, that part that he didn’t even know existed, that part that wanted _more_ … It wouldn’t go away. And Garrus needed it to be gone, needed that silence back, needing to stop his mind from constantly asking the question, ‘What if?’

He sighed and focused on the Turian in front of him as she explained the advantages of investing in her shop.  Something about biscuits in a mine? Or maybe it was discounts down the line. He had barely been listening, body moving automatically through the market as he headed back to the Normandy. She had stepped in front of him and somehow managed to coax him to the side of the hall and into her little store.  He forced himself to listen more closely to what she was saying.

“And with a small investment of only a couple thousand credits, I can assure you that you will be the first to be contacted when there are good deals to be had! I will make it a priority to cater to your individual needs…” Garrus nodded, losing interest once more but too polite to exit out of the conversation.  Instead he forced himself to really look at the vendor. She was very pale, near albino in fact, with a short fringe and red and black markings across her face that extended along the rim of her carapace. It was a unique look and one that she evidently cultivated if her casual touches to her face meant anything. She wanted to draw attention to her appearance and it was working.

Garrus was for once happy that his visor somewhat covered his vision as he gave her a brief once-over. Shepard was attractive for her species but he wasn’t human. He was a Turian and a rather fine specimen if he did say so himself. And yet, he felt nothing for the female in front of him, not even a nudge of subtle interest. Her fringe was beyond suitable, her waist quite supportive and those legs… By all accounts he should be feeling something other than mild boredom. Maybe there was something wrong with him.

Standing up straight, he pulled a wad of credits out and dumped them on the counter. The female looked shocked to see it all but quickly scooped it into a nearby drawer and promised to update him as soon as stock came in. She escorted him out of the store and smiled, teeth shining in the dim light as she subtly glanced around the area, looking for someone else to reel in.  Garrus nodded at her and went on his way, pausing briefly at a food stall to buy some salak fruit before continuing on to the Normandy.  It was only after he arrived at his cabin and had removed his armor and placed his purchase beside him on the bed that he realized it was his Commander’s favourite fruit. 

“Spirits…” he whispered. There truly was something wrong with him.

And with that, he pushed the fruit aside and closed his eyes, talons scratching at his suddenly aching temples.

He had only been resting for a short while before his datapad uttered a short _beep_. And then it beeped again. And again.

Groaning softly, he pulled himself up and trudged over to his desk, glaring at the incessantly beeping device. It shone innocently back at him, orange text flashing _Incoming Call_ over and over. Sitting down, he flicked the device on and was surprised to see a familiar, and not at all expected, face.

“Garrus!” Maelia’s mandibles twitched nervously as she stared at him through the screen.

“Maelia?” He felt a sudden urge scratch his still lightly bruised cheek. Turian women were very, very strong. “I, uh, I didn’t think you’d be contacting me again. At all.”

“Yes, well… I…” she trailed off, staring off screen as an uncomfortable silence took hold. “I… I just wanted to apologize, Garrus.”

He blinked in surprise. Apologize?

“Apologize for what?”

“Attacking you, for starters.”

“Maelia you… you have nothing to apologize about. I was at fault. I should not have …”

“Garrus, listen to me. Just listen, and let me apologize.” He nodded, and she continued. “I have cared about you since the days we worked together, nothing will ever change that.” She swallowed slowly before speaking again. “We Turians need stress relief, I know that and you know that. I was a fool for thinking anything more. After we met those first few times, you made it quite clear in your actions that you no longer wished to …” She trailed off.

“I’m sorry.” Garrus said again, gently.

“It’s fine. You have nothing to be sorry about. I should have noticed a long time ago that you weren’t giving off any indications of attraction, so you are not at fault. I slapped you because, well, because I was hurt that after all this time, nothing had changed. I kept hoping you would change your mind, that somehow after not seeing each other for a month or two you would be wanting to… Anyway. I slapped you more out of shock than anger and I wanted to say that you really are a decent Turian, Garrus. You could have done much worse, and I appreciate you being upfront with me – even if it took you a few years to do so.”

Garrus looked at the vid, at Maelia’s nervous face and the slight tinge on colour visible under her markings.

“And from me to you, I apologize that it took me so long to get the words out.”

Silence returned, but this time is was less awkward. The two smiled at each other and Garrus felt his anxiety drain away.

“If you don’t mind,” Maelia began slowly, “was it something I did?”

“What? Spirits, Maelia, no! It was entirely me. Wait, I know that sounds stereotypical but I really mean it this time.”

“Did you meet someone else?”

“I… I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?” Her head tilted, curious. “What does that mean?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Sounds like it. Do you want to tell me about it?”

“I’m not sure that would be entirely appropriate. I did just break your heart, after all.”

The female Turian laughed heartily at that and grinned broadly at Garrus.

“I admit to being upset but I will recover, Garrus. You are hardly the only Turian this station has to offer. Although you might be the most impressive in certain areas…” She shifted her eyes towards his lower half briefly before looking again into his eyes.

“I appreciate that.” He rumbled, amused. “But to be honest, I truly don’t understand it all myself. I haven’t felt any real attraction to another Turian for a long time.”

“What about another species?”

“Nothing there either. Neither Asari, nor Quarian, nor…” he trailed off.

“Human?”

“Pardon me?”

“What about humans?” Maelia questioned.

“No. No other humans either.”

  
“Other?

“Hm?”

“Other humans. You said no other humans.”

“I have felt no major attraction to a particular species for a while.” He was exasperated and his temple had begun to throb again.

“What about a particular female? Or… male?” She smiled encouragingly.

“No males. Maybe one female, but I cannot be sure. We have been friends for so long, it might be nothing.”

“Ah.”

“Ah? What does that mean?”

“I know who you’re talking about. I guess it’s not that bad a thing, getting dumped for the savior of the galaxy.”

“That’s not it. Like I said, it’s complicated.”

“I know, I know.” She shook a finger at the screen. “You figure out what you want and you let me know. I’m not quite willing to let you go just yet.” At his shocked face, she continued. “Platonically! Spirits, Garrus, calm down.  Anyway, if you need to talk to anyone, let me know. I think I know you pretty well by now so I will help you in any way I can, if you wish it.  Goodbye for now, my friend. And good luck.”

She waved a three-fingered hand and he returned the gesture as the vid clicked off, filling the cabin with silence once more.

Was he attracted to Shepard? He had feelings for her, strong, intense feelings that he had reasoned were what one felt towards a close friend. But he had never felt them before, or with anyone else.

The more he thought about her, the more unsure he became. He thought of her strength, her amazing personality, her ability to power through any mess… her fringe was quite lovely, if he had to think about it. Her waist was something a Turian could only dream of. Her body was so unlike his and yet he was fascinated by it.  He thought of the day she had barged into the battery, blonde fringe practically giving off sparks in her anger, eyes piercing… how beautiful she had been that day.

Garrus felt his plates shifting slightly as he thought about his Commander. Turian women were strong, he had always thought, but Shepard could overpower them all. There was something admirable, something ferociously attractive about her that his mind couldn’t shake.

He tapped the datapad sitting before him, sifting through the multitudes of files that he had recently hidden his secret documents in. And then, a-ha, he found it. _Fornax_. The Special Human Edition.

He clicked open the file and scanned through the pages.  Looking at the humans now, in their various stages of undress and penetration, he felt only mild interest. Certainly nothing worth getting worked up over. Then a blonde model caught his eye and even though the only thing she and Commander Shepard had in common was the colour of their fringe – or hair, as they called it – he couldn’t held imagining he was looking at a picture of her. He closed his eyes, fantasizing about both the figure on the screen before him and the one on his mind.

She lay on her back, head cushioned by a monstrous collection of pillows that framed her billowing hair. She was naked, her small breasts glistened with sweat and her pink nipples were stiff peaks. Her legs were splayed out in front of her and nestled between them lay a Turian with remarkably similar colouring to Garrus himself. He had one hand grasping the woman’s rear, bringing it forward as his long, grey tongue snaked up her shaking thighs.

Garrus shifted in his seat and leaned back.  He pulled off his gloves and flexed his fingers, dragging a talon across his lower plates.  The skin was rougher down below and much, much hotter than the rest of his body. He could feel his plates begin to pull back as he lost himself in his imagination once more.

{{This time it was Shepard who lay back on the bed, her hair coming out of her bun as she burrowed back into the sheets. Her eyes were hooded, pupils blown with lust. She held out her arms and Garrus collapsed into them as gently as he could. He still knocked the breath out of her, but she grinned up at him and dragged her lips against his face plates as she stared into his eyes. Moving downwards his fingers tweaked a pink nipple, earning him a moan. He dragged his fingers across her abdomen, talons lightly scratching her weaker skin. He marveled at the faint pink lines that developed, tongue flicking out to lick the salt from her skin.

“Garrus—“she whined, “Stop teasing.”

“As you wish.”}}

In the real world, he was now fully exposed, the plates at his groin stretched to their full extent as his thick, blue member came into view. He grasped it lightly, and began pumping slowly.

{{Garrus grabbed Shepard’s legs and pulled them apart further, his nostrils flaring as her arousal became even more apparent. It was a thick, intoxicating aroma and Garrus couldn’t get enough of it.

Lowering his face, he buried himself in the V between her legs and carefully drew his tongue up through her curls, barely touching the flesh below. She shuddered and relaxed into his touch.  Using a free hand, he parted the hair and licked up her slit, savoring her essence. He rubbed her clit with her nasal plates and slowly but steadily poked his tongue inside her. She seemed to stop breathing. He licked upwards and out, his rough tongue barely grazing her clit before pushing back inside. Unconsciously he began to purr.

Shepard was tossing and turning, trying to escape him and yet somehow pushing his tongue even more inside her. He pulled out almost completely, flicking at her entrance with the tip of his agile tongue as he waited to see what she would do. 

Almost immediately her knees came up around his crest and forced him back down and into her. It was a position he was happy to be in. He pushed his tongue back into her, much too slowly if her clenched fists told him anything, and searched for that magic area inside her... and found it.  He rubbed at the spongy tissue as his fingers circled her clit, pulling at it gently.}}

He was rock hard now and his hand tightened around his cock, almost painfully, as he began pumping faster. He was leaking freely now, the blue-tinged fluid helping his hand glide up and down and he imagined how tight Shepard would feel, how her smaller body would have to stretch to accommodate his size.  It would ache, for sure, but not hurt. He wouldn’t let her experience any pain if he could help it.

{{She was losing control now, head thrashing against the pillows and he felt her stiffen inside. Then, suddenly, a great blossoming of heat emerged from her core. Garrus withdrew, lapping at the fluid that emerged, fascinated by the sharp convulsions her body went through as it orgasmed. Soon she was finished and her face held the smile of a woman completely satiated. He raised his head and she licked at his face plates, grimacing as she tasted herself. He brought his face towards her, nipping at her exposed jawline with his sharp teeth as he knocked their foreheads together in the Turian version of a kiss.}}

Garrus opened his eyes. His cabin lay empty, apart from a few personal items he had stowed away on some shelves up high. His right hand was still fingering his cock, he was so close now. There were splashes of his lubrication all over his chair and some had even fallen upon his datapad.  The blonde Fornax model stared into the camera and as her piercing eyes morphed into Shepard’s own, Garrus felt his cock jerk in his hand as he came hard. He felt his eyes roll back into his head as waves of pleasure rolled over him.

When he finally regained his senses and looked down, he couldn’t believe the mess. His chair and table were splattered with blue, the datapad positively drenched. He groaned in irritation as he thought about the mess he would have to clean up. But as his mind withdrew to his fantasy, Shepard still lying angelically satiated, he felt no regrets. It was worth it. But there was also no going back – there was no denying his attraction to her now.

And just what was he going to do about it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the potentially crappy sex scenes, I tried my best! 
> 
> I am replaying ME1 through ME3 to prepare myself for the awesome-ness that will be ME:Andromeda and it is just reinforcing my love of Garrus. I wish he had been romanceable in the first game! SO much lost potential!
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please comment with advice or suggestions - they really help me continue writing!


	5. Chapter 5

Shepard had been stuck on board the Normandy for only a few days but she was already starting to go stir-crazy. Omega was nothing special, unless you liked lawlessness, but she longed to explore it anyways. She had promised Chakwas she would take it easy until her shoulder recovered but although the requisite number of days had passed, her shoulder wasn’t feeling any better. Maybe she should have gotten everything checked out the other day, it was quite likely that one of her circuits was malfunctioning.

Instead she shook her head and shrugged off that concern. Karin Chakwas was a fantastic doctor and had been there for her many times before, but Shepard preferred not to over-think it. She hadn’t been using her medicine - that was her problem. There was no need to alert the good doctor.

Rising from her bed, she pulled on a tank top and a pair of underwear. Shepard had recently started sleeping naked when she was off duty and the Normandy was grounded. She spent more of her days in skintight suits and heavy pieces of armor, it felt nice to be free of it all once in a while.

She grabbed the medi-gel from the table beside her. Even unscrewing the cap made her muscles twinge in discomfort.  This is what her life had become: save the cosmos countless times, survive battles against hell spawn and monsters the size of spaceships… be brought down by a bum shoulder.

Shepard dipped a finger into the medicine, noting the talon marks left in the gel from the last time Garrus had used it. _Garrus_. She sighed and rubbed the greasy mess into her shoulder.  Within a few moments the stiffness began to dissipate. There was also a faint smell, like spices, that grew stronger the more she rubbed. It seemed Garrus had added a little of his own concoction to the mix.  Shepard sniffed appreciatively. It smelled vaguely of cinnamon, reminding her of Earth.

She had been through the ship almost a dozen times a day, trying to ease her boredom and find something interesting to do. She had been to the bridge to see Joker and EDI, listened to him rattle off battle stories a mile a minute. EDI had been content to sit and listen to the both of them, choosing not to interrupt even when the truth had clearly gone astray. It was nice to see the both of them together, not caring about the difficulties their relationship faced, just willing to try day by day until they made it work.

A long sigh escaped her lips. Truth be told, she longer for something similar. She had noticed over the past few days of voluntary imprisonment that her thoughts drifted frequently towards a certain battle-scarred friend.  She had caught herself fantasizing more than once about agile fingers and piercing eyes, and if anything his lack of appearance in her daily life made her think about Garrus all the more.  At first she had thought that time with the Fornax mag a fluke – a simple slip of the mind when she was overstimulated. But then it happened again. And again. Fornax optional, it seemed.  Shepard thought of all the times her friend had been by her side, the crack of his sniper rifle echoing in her ears as he looked towards her with a look of exhilaration.  After a hard battle he had always been the first to clap her back in comradery, the only one to swing her into a battle hug after she saved his hide for the umpteenth time.

When had simple affection and friendship turned into something more? Had everything come around just because she happened to catch a glimpse of his alternate pleasures and leapt to conclusions? Or had she been ignoring growing feelings for him that peaked well beyond the platonic for a long time, the catalyst for her realizations being that he might feel the same for her?

“Bullshit.” She chuckled to herself, smile tinged with a tinge of sadness. So Garrus had a thing for human pornography. He wasn’t the first and he certainly wouldn’t be the last. He had never treated her with anything but respect and kindness and that hug that lasted a few seconds past friend-ceptable was just a coincidence.  Besides, even if he was attracted to humans, who was to say he felt anything for her? It would be better to shake all those thoughts out of her mind for good.

Suddenly gloomy, Shepard found herself desperate for some company. She pulled yesterday’s clothing on and left her cabin, roaming the halls for some companionship – human or otherwise – and eventually ended up on the crew deck.

As she passed by Thane’s quarters she thought about going inside, he having said countless times before that she was always welcome.  His illness was taking a toll on him, however, and although he fought as hard as he could, Shepard wasn’t sure how long he had left. The door opened as she passed and she paused by the entrance, listening.  There was a low murmur to be heard, barely louder than the hiss of the life support systems inside.  The monotone voice of the Drell within clearly engaged in recalling some ancient memory.  She caught the sound of Thane’s wife’s name, and the hint of sadness in his voice as he spoke of her, and decided against intruding.  Instead, Shepard continued into the main area and looked around the room.

Miranda was sitting by herself at the table, nursing a cup of something hot enough to still be emitting thin ribbons of steam. She sipped delicately, either not noticing or not caring about the heat. She nodded politely as her Commander sat down opposite her.

“Shepard.” Polite as always.

“Miranda.” A grin. “How are you doing?”

“Just fine, Commander. As per usual.” She returned to her tea, fingers flickering lightning fast on the pad beside her.

They sat in silence, Shepard happy just to have company for a while. She glanced at Miranda as the other woman’s fingers tapped away. A moment later the fingers stopped and Shepard looked up to see Miranda staring at her with a quizzical expression.

“Commander,” she began, “Is there something I can do for you?”

“No, no. I just wanted some company.”

“Ah.” The typing resumed but Miranda’s eyes never left Shepard’s face. “Are you quite sure?”

“Well now that you mention it, I have been looking for someone to accompany me outside. I’m going stir-crazy in this ship.”

“Didn’t Chakwas place you under a mild form of house arrest until your injuries fully healed?”

“She did, but even she could admit that sometimes a break is necessary.”

“A break from rest?” Miranda sounded amused. “You certainly have odd habits, Shepard.”

The Commander shrugged. She was never one to find taking it easy, well, _easy_.

“I just want to get off the ship for a while. I can’t go by myself because I am currently weaponless. Well, favourite weapon-less in any case. Garrus is still has it stashed somewhere and I haven’t been able to locate him.”

“Garrus, you say.” Miranda finally pushed away the pad and brought her hands together in steeple fashion. “You aren’t the only person he’s been avoiding.”

“Who else?” Shepard was curious. Usually Garrus was friendly with everyone.

“Liara and I, for starters.”

“That’s odd. I wonder why…” She began, stopping abruptly when she saw the twinkle in her companion’s eyes.

“It’s a mystery to me.  Well, avoiding Liara that is. Me, on the other hand, well... I seem to terrify him.” Miranda said dryly, with the barest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “I suspect that my past affiliation with Cerberus, and their attitude towards you in particular, has left me a suspicious person in his mind.  A weaker personality might take offense, but I find his attitude highly fascinating.  Especially since I have done so much to help him and the rest of the crew.”

Shepard shrugged, not knowing quite what to say to that.  In the beginning she had herself not trusted Miranda and tried to maintain some distance between them.  Gradually, however, she had learned to trust Miranda completely.

“Anyway,” Miranda continued, “why would Garrus be avoiding you? You two always seemed so close, attached at the hip, to a certain extent.”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s nothing important.  Turians have their issues, like all of us. Garrus and I go way back, even if he were avoiding me – which he isn’t – we would work it out.”

“Whatever you say, Commander. I’m sure it’s nothing you cannot handle.” There was a flash of white teeth as Miranda smiled at Shepard. The gesture was kind but Shepard sensed a sort of amusement hidden in the ex-Cerberus operative’s expression, like she knew something the Commander didn’t.

“I am sure you’re right. But it is getting rather frustrating.  I haven’t been without my gun for this long since, well, since I was goop in a suit after the Collectors blew up my ship. I’m beginning to get a little antsy. Makes me feel like without it, my enemies will find out I am vulnerable and seek me out.”

“That seems a little overly dramatic.” There is was again, that twinkle in those blue eyes that made Shepard suspicious. “But I understand.  You cannot be without your weapon any longer.  Might I make a recommendation?”

“Certainly.”

“I suggest that instead of trying to seek him out, you call him to you. You are the Captain aboard this vessel, you need your firearm as soon as possible. He could not possible disobey a direct summons from his commanding officer, now could he?”

“You make a good point. Not that I think he is really trying hard to avoid me. If we actually had a problem he would be upfront with me.”

“You know best, Shepard.”

“Of course I do.”

Shepard stood up and moved towards the elevator. “Thanks Miranda.” A nod was her only reply as Miranda had gone back to her datapad, hiding the broad grin that spread across her face.  Poor Garrus didn’t know what was coming, but she certainly had a good idea.


	6. Chapter 6

Garrus passed a heavy hand across his brow, wiping off the sweat that had accumulated after his sparring session with Vega. The lieutenant was a very skilled fighter and while Garrus could have easily beaten him in pure target practice, the Turian was slightly less skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Practicing with Vega was a useful way to relieve stress and to ensure he himself remained a formidable opponent, no matter what situation might arise. Shepard, while an amazing commander, seemed to attract a lot of attention wherever she went, and not all of it the good kind.  

He was just on his way to the showers when the communication device in his ear canal beeped. He tapped it and EDI’s melodious voice filled his head.

“Garrus, Commander Shepard requests your presence in her cabin as soon as possible.”

“Did she mention what she needed in particular?” Garrus had been purposefully avoiding thinking about Shepard of late, not knowing fully what to do with his recently realized emotions. He was hoping he would have a little more time before seeing her again.

“I believe her weapon was the main topic of discussion. Although she did ask me to contact you directly after having a conversation with Ms. Lawson, so there may be another subject she didn’t share with me. I mention it only because you had asked me to keep track of Ms. Lawson’s movements aboard the Normandy.”

Garrus groaned. Miranda? That didn’t sound good.

“Shall I inform Shepard that you are ill and unable to come? I heard a sound signifying pain or discontent just now.”

“No EDI, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern. Please let Shepard know I will be arriving shortly. I just have to get some supplies.”

“I will let her know.”

Garrus turned around and headed back to his cabin, hoping that the Commander’s sense of smell would be less sensitive than his own. Swapping the towel around his neck for a fresher one, he grabbed his tool belt and the requisite weapon parts and headed to the elevator.

While he had had the parts necessary for upgrading the pistol for a while now, he had purposefully put off altering the Carnifax. Perhaps part of him had always wanted to show off in front of Shepard – fix her weapon in front of her. It wasn’t in the Turian tradition to give gifts, let alone to members of the opposite sex, and to do so was a clear sign of non-platonic interest. Not many outside of his own species knew that little quirk, aside from the all-seeing eyes of the Shadow Broker, and so probably wouldn’t have thought anything of Garrus gifting weapon parts.  Even if you gave something to a friend, the assumption was that they owed you something in return at a later date if they took the proffered item. 

But Garrus never wanted anything in return from Shepard.  In such times, the closest Garrus could describe it would be asking someone on a first date.  Now that he knew how he felt he realized that was something he desperately desired. He had never been good at professing his feelings, instead usually waiting for the female to make the first move. His awkwardness had undone good intentions a few times over the years. He would have felt more confident before the attack that left him scarred.  Turians respected strength and mastery above all so seeing a visible scar – or an injury so large as to leave permanent physical damage – was viewed as having been bested by a greater foe.  In the eyes of many Turians he could see pity and disgust, that he had survived such a horrific attack was not the point, it was clear he had almost lost.

Garrus sighed, scratching the scars across his cheek in irritation. They would never fade, and he would never be wholly comfortable with them visible, but at least his crew mates never said a word. Shepard had actually made some comments that made him feel better about the whole situation, made jokes about ladies (Human, likely, and maybe even Krogan?) liking scars. Maybe her joking was only meant to make him feel better but he couldn’t help hoping she was part of that percentage.

The elevator pinged and opened, and Garrus headed up to the Commander’s cabin. The lights glowed and dimmed as it moved up through the ship. Garrus had always found it very relaxing, those lights. They reminded him of ocean creatures he had seen in holo-vids about other worlds. Jelly-somethings, they were called.  He longed to see them in person but a Turian in the ocean? He would sink faster than the Mako.

He had arrived. Leaving the elevator, he waved his hand across the sensor to the Commander’s door, hearing a muted voice inside announce his presence.  The door hissed open momentarily and Garrus headed in, not sure what to expect.  He stood awkwardly by the door as he waited for her to appear. Instead, a voice hailed him.

“Garrus, finally! Get your Turian butt down here – I’m on the couch.”

Okay then. The door shut behind him as he headed further into the room, going down the stairs and turned. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t _this._

Shepard lay sprawled across one of the sections of the couch, the light from above illuminating her pale face. Her legs were stretched upwards, heels resting on the wall, and the position she was in made her legs look endless.  She wore a plain grey jumpsuit instead of her usual, slightly more proper, attire. He had never seen her looking so casual, but it really suited her. To top it off, she had finally taken her hair down from the bun that was a constant part of her uniform. Her hair fell in waves past her shoulders and seemed to glow like a halo around her face as she turned to look at him.  She was beautiful.

Although Garrus had seen Shepard’s hair in disarray before, even in the heat of battle it had never come loose, like the bun was some integral part of the commander that only fell apart when she did.  He longed to run his talons through it and had to actively grip his tools to stop his fingers from twitching.

Realizing she was staring at him, Garrus moved towards the table and, at Shepard’s nod, sat on the unoccupied end of the couch. He placed his tools, belt, and the gun in front of him on the small table, making sure to move slowly so as to not knock anything to the floor. The tables in his room were much wider and better suited to weapon alteration.

“It took you long enough to show up. I thought you might have been avoiding me.” Her tone seemed slightly injured, but that was likely done in jest. Garrus’s nerves were jittery, he was likely reading into things he shouldn’t.

“I am sorry, Shepard. I have been rather preoccupied of late. I brought everything I needed in order to fix your weapon, don’t worry.”

“Perfect. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.” She brushed an errant strand of hair out of her eyes and lay her arm across her brow. Her eyes shut and she winced slightly, shifting on the couch again to find a more comfortable position.

“Shepard? If you aren’t feeling well, I can come back another time…?” He hoped she would say no, hoped that she wouldn’t kick him out after he had just arrived but it was polite to make the offer anyway.

The commander squinted at him and glared playfully. “And let you out of my sight again? No way. You’re staying until you fulfill your promise, then you can go!” Her eyes slid shut again. “I have a headache but please feel free to continue. Sorry in advance if I drift off.”

“Of course Shepard.” And Garrus set to work preparing the Carnifax for upgrades, pulling out his tools for both the alterations and cleaning of the gun. If he was going to do a job, he was going to do it right.

The monotonous work was relaxing. Garrus used the brushes, the towels, the cleaners, everything he could to get the weapon in perfect condition for its owner. After the initial sweep was done, he would remove the obsolete parts of the gun and replace them, before cleaning one final time. As his fingers went through the motions without a second thought, he caught himself looking to his left at the prone figure beside him. 

Her chest rose and fell minutely, the only thing telling Garrus that the Human beside him was actually alive. She was silent as the dead and moved just as much.  She had fallen asleep some time ago and with that knowledge, Garrus’s hands had slowed as he relaxed. Without intending to, she made him nervous. Not the bad kind of nervous, but he felt supremely aware of everything she did.  It was like his body was trying to determine whether she felt anything for him like he felt for her… It was silly and part of him was glad she was asleep so he could concentrate fully on the task at hand.

After a while more of tinkering – if he had to guess, he had probably been in the cabin for close to two hours – he finally finished his job. Shepard now had a fully operational Carnifax, and he no longer had an excuse to remain in her room.  She still hadn’t woken up but her fingers were unconsciously working at her temples and her lips were tilted into a frown. Her legs had fallen from the wall at some point in the past hour and Garrus had had to tear his eyes away from the waist that now faced him as Shepard had curled up.

She seemed so sound asleep that he had briefly considered picking her up and placing her in bed. Perhaps then sit beside her and keep her company until she woke up. He was worried for her well-being, that’s all. But no, that was too much, and on just the wrong side of what a friend might do. That’s what he told himself, anyway.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her grimace, throat muscles tensing as she swallowed in discomfort. The Turian didn’t know what to do. He wanted to help, but didn’t want to be overly presumptuous; wanted to linger but didn’t want to overstay his welcome. She looked so vulnerable, lying there, and his overdeveloped sense of protection took over. In the blink of an eye, without him even realizing what he was doing, he had reached over and picked her up, depositing her head and the pillow underneath it onto his lap.

Carefully, he rested his palm over her forehead and blocked out the light. He let the heat from his hand sink in. Turians ran very hot, which is why the cold was so difficult to deal with, but a great many races found comfort in such warmth. He saw the medi-gel container he had given her poking out of her hip pocket and deftly grabbed it, careful not to pinch the flesh beneath.

With his one free hand he opened the pot and dipped his finger into the medicine. There was considerably less than he had thought – evidently the Commander had actually been following the doctor’s orders for once. Garrus gathered an appropriate amount and placed the gel onto the table before bringing his forefinger to Shepard’s temple. He pressed his finger gently in and around the area and began to rub. A pleasant scent filled the air and Shepard’s look faded into relaxation

Human beings were fascinating creatures.  They had so many weak spots and yet were so strong.  Turians didn’t have soft flesh, and any weaknesses were covered by hard plates or strong scales. They were rough where so many other species were soft and yet… and yet he knew this one was even tougher than the strongest Krogan.

He continued to massage the head on his lap, moving from one temple to the other, alternating hands to keep the light to a minimum and to help Shepard sleep as long as possible. His fingers worked their way downwards to the tight cords of muscle along her neck, happy that the gel was protecting her skin from the harshness of his own, and in a moment of weakness, bent forward and inhaled her scent.

She smelled clean, not a hint of sweat upon her. There was, of course, the overlay of the herbs he added to his medi-gel, but underneath it all there was a pure scent that was completely _her._ There was also something else, something he couldn’t quite identify. He sniffed again. A slight tang? He gazed down her body and saw the muscles of her thighs twitch briefly before stilling. It couldn’t be…

His massaging hand paused, hovering over the bridge of her nose.  He felt something tickle his palm and moved his hand away. He was caught off guard by the sleepy blue eyes that peered up at him.

“Garrus?” Her own hand came up to catch his bigger one, halting its progress. “Were you… smelling me?”


	7. Chapter 7

He was silent, still staring at her in surprise. Shepard rubbed the sleep from her eyes with her free hand and spoke again.

“Garrus? I know I smell better than you, but it’s hardly aromatic.” She gripped his hand a little tighter and brought it back down to her forehead. “It’s a little strange but okay. As long as you don’t stop touching me, I’ll let you have your odd Turian quirks.” She stiffened slightly as she spoke, realizing how her words could be misinterpreted, but chose to ignore it.

The heat from his hand seemed to burn brighter and Shepard snuggled further into Garrus’s lap, not caring how their position might look to someone else. She was comfortable and he didn’t seem to mind.

Garrus’s ministrations resumed, albeit more tentatively than they had been a few moments before. There was a pause and she felt him lean forward, heard the clink of something being deposited on the tabletop before the cool chill of the medi-gel returned. Strong fingers worked at her temples and along her jawline, the ghosting of sharp talons drifting over her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

He was really, really good at this.

Garrus still hadn’t said a word. Thankfully, they were good enough friends that she didn’t feel the need to break the silence with an awkward attempt at conversation. Besides, his fingers were so strong, so dexterous (although that shouldn’t have surprised her, considering how well he handled his rifle) that she didn’t want to say anything that might interrupt his massaging.

The nap had done her good. She was must less exhausted and the odd twinge she’d gotten in her shoulder seemed to have vanished. She was surrounded by warmth, and although she easily could have drifted off again, found herself fighting off the temptation to sleep. Initially she hadn’t woken up because she heard deep inhalations, or sniffing, or felt any other discomfort. Exactly the opposite, actually. Shepard had been feeling very good, and her mind had woken her from a dreamless sleep to the utter contentment.

She had actually been awake for longer than Garrus likely knew, just content to be there, with him. She hadn’t been able to figure out where she was at first, with the couch being the last thing she had remembered being upon. But then she felt the steely thighs under her thin pillow, felt the heat radiating from him, felt completely safe. Garrus was such a gentleman, and Shepard was ashamed to admit that part of her had wished his hands had progressed a little lower.  As her thoughts turned dirty and full of him she could feel her body getting excited.

No, _NO_ , down girl!

“I hope you don’t think I was too forward.” Garrus’s gravelly voice broke through her reverie.

“What are you talking about?” She didn’t open her eyes, instead craning her head towards the sound of his voice. She realized she was still holding onto his hand, and she let go, dropping it to her stomach. She missed the fire immediately.

“You looked like you were in pain so I… I should have asked permission. I shouldn’t have touched you without permission. It was inappropriate.” His hand stilled again and the other lifted from her brow.

Shepard sat up slowly, raising an eyebrow as she turned to face her friend. He looked troubled.

“Garrus, you—“Her eyes fell on the table. “My gun!” She grabbed her weapon and stroked the grip, happy to once again be in possession of her favourite inanimate object. “Thank you!”

Without thinking, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his cheek in gratitude. His skin was dry and she sat back after, licking her lips to replenish their moisture. Garrus had never been stiller in his life, save for a slow blink of his eyes and an almost imperceptible flare of his nostrils.

Shepard inhaled sharply and dropped the Carnifax beside her, raising her hands to her mouth in shock at what she had done.  And after he had just mentioned inappropriateness!

“Garrus, I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me…” Actually she did.  She had been thinking about kissing him for days now, never thinking for the life of her that she would actually follow through.  And now, by complete accident, she had done the unthinkable. Should she laugh it off as an accident? Or maybe blame it on some ancient Human custom that she must have learned from someone, at some point? Thoughts raced through her mind as she played all the potential scenarios in her mind.

Garrus being offended and leaving. Garrus reporting her conduct to the Board. Garrus acting disgusted over an unwanted and undesired exchange of body fluid. Garrus laughing at her and promising to never speak of it again… that one hurt the most.

As much as it was an accident, Shepard wanted to do it again, wanted to kiss him until he understood how she felt about it. Ignoring it and ignoring her… that would be torture.

Shepard felt eyes upon her and looked up to meet them. There was no anger in them, no disgust. Curiosity? He opened his mouth, razor teeth glinting in the light as he paused before speaking, as if trying to settle an argument in his mind.

“Do I have your permission, Shepard?”

“Permission?”

“For physical contact.”

That didn’t sound promising. She grit her teeth and nodded. She was the commander on this ship, she hadn’t respected someone’s privacy and had to deal with the consequences. Maybe Turians settled minor honor breaches with a good old fashioned fistfight?

Quick as anything, two strong hands fastened themselves to her waist and _pulled._ Within an instant Shepard found herself straddling the ex-vigilante. His eyes bore into hers and his mouth opened and closed a few times before she realized he was speaking to her.

“Shepard,” his voice seemed deeper than usual. “I need you to answer me honestly.”

A dry swallow. Another curt nod.

“Are you attracted to me?”

What? _WHAT?_ How the hell did he--?

He must have seen something in her eyes because the next thing he said melted her from the inside out.

“Because, my dear commander, I am very much attracted to you.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

Garrus didn’t know what to do.  He had confessed – what the hell was wrong with him! – and she was just sitting there, staring at him.  She was silent. He was silent. There was far, far too much silence.

Had he misunderstood everything? When he thought she was interested in him, was she actually thinking about someone else? He wanted to shake her, wanted her to hurry up and just _speak_ to him. End this awkward moment, end this—

“You are?”  The tiny voice that came from her didn’t sound at all like the Shepard he knew. It was… cautious, tentative, careful. But there was no hint of anger or disgust at his confession. And when he nodded to her, before his courage left him, she looked down – away from him – and he could hear her breathing slow. Was she trying to calm herself down?

He wanted to see her face, wanted her to look him in the eyes and let him down, if that was the case.  He stared at the crown of her head as she sat before him, the scent of her hair fully in his face. The water on the Normandy was recycled so after a time it began to smell vaguely of chemicals, at least to Garrus.  But somehow Shepard always managed to brush off that cling and that was just another thing he liked about her. Currently she smelled of … something herbal? He wasn’t sure, but he already loved it.

The weight on his lap shifted and slowly a pair of hands crept under his arms and around his torso. They squeezed tightly, almost bruising (had Garrus had tender enough skin, he might have been concerned) and Shepard’s head was soon nestled against his neck. He felt her lips press against his skin, her body temperature so vastly different than his that they felt like ice to his fire.

“I like you too, Garrus.” Her voice was shy, almost like she couldn’t believe she was uttering the words herself, and Garrus found himself cradling her head in his hands, gently raising it, bringing her eyes to meet his.

She was smiling and her eyes glittered in the dim light of the room. Her pupils were darker than he had ever seen.  Her eyes closed again and she raised herself higher in his lap, bracing herself against his chest as her lips drew nearer to his mouth plates.  He couldn’t help himself – he flinched.

“What are you doing?”

Shepard’s eyes shot open at his question, her own bravado faltering slightly. She raised her brows together in what any culture could recognize as complete exasperation.

“What do you mean, ‘what are you doing’? I’m trying to kiss you!”

“I… I know. I figured that.” He replied quickly. “But I, uh… I don’t… I can’t…”

The Commander sat back onto Garrus’s lap, mouth open and at a complete loss for words. Garrus felt the situation quickly leaving his control and fought to get that moment back.

“No, no, I want to!” At her quirked eyebrow, he continued. “But… I don’t have lips. I can’t kiss. We Turians… we don’t kiss.  It’s silly to say to a Human but… I don’t know how.”

He could see her face go blank and still. He had really done it this time – she had been there, right _there_ , so close and he ruined the moment with his big stupid mouth and could a hole just open up and swallow him right this—

“You are attracted to me.”

“Yes!” He practically shouted that.  Oops.

“But you don’t have lips.”

“No.”

“So you can’t kiss me?”

“That is correct.”

“But I can kiss you?”

“Yes, of course!”

“Good.”

Her hands came out from behind Garrus’s back and settled on his mandibles, rubbing gently along their sides. She rose up again, eyes open this time, and pressed her lips to the scarred area on his lower mouth plate.  Her eyes stared deep into his own and she sat back, as if to gauge his reaction.  Seeing something that satisfied her, she knelt back in and continued past his jawline, up the ruined mandible – his most visible source of shame.

The kisses were barely more than gentle pressure on the scars, his face having lost much of the sensation on that side despite the efforts of the doctors on staff. But he felt the emotion behind them. And for the first time since the incident, the sense of disgust he felt for his disfigurement vanished.

When she sat back, likely to see if everything was okay with him, Garrus pulled her back in and pressed his plates against her lips.  Interspecies awkwardness be damned! He couldn’t move his plates like she could, he was like a rock, but he could at least _try._

Then he felt her tongue creep across her lower lip, brushing up against his mouth. It was so warm, so soft, he couldn’t help himself. He moaned.

“Did you just moan from a kiss?” She was lower now, tongue lapping at the junction between his head and neck.  She could probably feel his pulse hammering in her bones.

“Not the kiss, the-“His breath hitched as she hit a particularly sensitive area. “The licking, the tongue. The _heat._ ”

Turians did not like the cold. But warmth, well, that was natural. They thrived in it.

“Well if you like heat, you’ll love these.”

Shepard pushed off of Garrus enough to up and pull down the zipper of her suit. She unzipped it to her waist and pulled out her arms, leaving her torso naked except for a skin-coloured bra. Garrus stared in fascination at the vision before him.  Her skin was dotted in scars, many faded to white but some still an angry red. She looked beautiful, the scars enhancing her look instead of detracting – she had earned each and every one of them, and they had made her stronger. No one would ever look at her and think she was weak.

Reaching behind her back, she fought for a second with the clasps of the bra, muttering under her breath as she tried to unhook them. Finally successful, she flung it somewhere behind her.

“These,” she stated, proudly, “are bundles of heat. Go ahead – touch them and see.”

“They’re so small.” Garrus said, wonderingly.

“ _Excuse me?_ ” And Garrus knew he must have said something wrong because a pink flush appeared on Shepard’s face and her hands drew up to cover her breasts.

Shit.

“I didn’t mean it like that! I have never seen then before in real life. They look so different than in pictures.”

“Yeah, well, those picture you’re talking about are likely enhanced.” She huffed, still keeping her breasts covered.

“That may be so.  Turians don’t have breasts – cultural differences, remember? I mean no offense. If it helps, I am also rather small.” He gestured below her hips, to the area she was currently sitting upon.  And that, at least, garnered him a laugh.

“Cultural differences, that’s for sure. No Human male would ever say anything like that to someone he plans on sleeping with.”

Garrus gulped.

“Are you?”

“Am I what, Garrus? Use full sentences, please.”

“Planning on sleeping with me?”

“…yes? If you wanted to…?”

“I do. So let me see. And feel these so-called ‘bundles of heat’ of yours.” His smile drew hers back out and she let her hands falls to her sides.

Garrus eyes the talons on his hands tentatively below reaching out and running his finger across one breast. The talon left a faint pink line down the pale flesh below and the dusky pink nipple pebbled at the strange sensation.

He glanced up quickly, catching the Human’s eye and she laughed.

“Yeah, they do that too. Keep going.”

And he did.  Praying that he wouldn’t puncture anything in the near future, he gently grasped her left breast and – _Spirits_ – it fit in his hand perfectly. He could feel the nipple hard against his palm.  She was, it was so, so warm. Hot, even, and grew hotter and heavier in his grasp. He squeezed and her breath hitched.  He rolled her nipple between his fingers and her eyes closed, tongue darting out to wet her lips. He flicked her nipple with his talon and she _squeaked_ , sending a rush of heat to his groin.

He could smell the sharp tang of her arousal intensify and her thighs squeezed against his. Unbidden, Shepard’s own hand attached itself to her other breast and began to mimic Garrus’s movements. Touching her breasts wasn’t doing much for Garrus sexually, but seeing how much his companion enjoyed it, well, that was certainly loosening his plates.

Abandoning the breast, Garrus let his hands drift downwards, following the smooth lines of her stomach until the clothing bunched at her hips prevented him from going any further. A growl rose from his throat at this sudden intrusion.

Shepard opened her eyes at the unexpected noise from the alien in front of her and was surprised to see Garrus’s normally blue eyes completely black. His teeth were bared in an expression of frustration that would terrify any innocent onlooker.  His hands had settled on her waist, talons drawing lazy circles against her skin yet his grasp was iron. He looked at her with a guilty expression on his face when she called his name.

“Garrus, what’s wrong?”

Her hands reached for his and he let them settle on the backs of his hands.  She looked shameless – face still flushed pink but from arousal rather than irritation. Her breasts were covered in pink lines and red crescent moons, compliments of his talons and her nails respectively. Her breathing was rapid as she tried to calm herself down enough to speak clearly.

Garrus tried to do the same, took a deep breath through his nose and out through his mouth, but that only made the situation worse.  Shepard’s scent was everywhere.  All he could smell was her desire and it drove him crazy. He wanted more, needed more.

“I can smell you. Your arousal.”

“You can—what? You can what?” She was coming down from her high and Garrus wanted none of that.

“I want to taste you.”

Shepard’s eyes widened at his statement. She pushed off of Garrus’s lap and stood up, legs pressed tightly together. Her breasts bounced slightly as she regained her balance and her suit began to slide tantalizingly off her hips.

“Garrus, nothing would make me happier but won’t you get sick?”

“I will not.” He had stood up and was moving towards her, slowly.

She moved backwards, holding the suit up as she went.

“I know Turians can have allergies to-“

“Shepard.” Garrus drew himself up to his full height and continued, “I will be fine. Don’t worry about me. I want to do this.”

Shepard’s legs hit the bed and she fell backwards with a bounce and slight curse.  In an instant Garrus was on top of her, hands pressed into the mattress alongside her head, the only thing keeping his weight off her.

“If you do not want this, tell me. I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.” There was a slight tone of pain in his voice, as if tearing himself away from her would physically hurt him. And yet, he was willing to do what she asked, even after they had come this far.

“Garrus…”

“Shepard?”

“Say it again?”

“I can smell you. You smell so good. I want to taste you, please let me make you feel good.”

“… _Yes_.” The voice came so quietly it was almost mistaken as a sigh but she lifted her hips and shimmied the jumpsuit bottoms down, body coming into full contact with Garrus as she thrust upwards in an effort to get them off the curve of her rear.

Garrus slid off the bed and onto his knees, pulling the bottoms along with him and dragging Shepard’s boneless body towards him.  All that stood before him was her pair of utilitarian grey underwear, something his claws made quick work of.

This. _This._ He had wanted this for days, played out the scenario in his mind time and time again, and finally it was happening. He breathed out deeply, the breeze ruffling her pubic hair.  That was something else he didn’t have in common with her – Turians didn’t have any hair.  His lust was driving him wild and that smell of hers, along with the wetness seeping out of her folds, was going to be his undoing.

He brushed apart her curls, wanting to see her fully before he dove in.  The pink lips were quivering, and towards her core they were an even deeper red. Her hole was barely visible at first, but when he parted her lips with a talon, he could see it as clear as day. She was leaking, so wet that he reasoned he would be doing her a great disservice if he didn’t help clean it all up.

His tongue unfurled from inside his mouth, rough – like a cat’s, if there was anyone who tried to make a comparison. He slowly licked the length of her slit, from bottom to top, collecting all the liquid he could gather. She tasted … well, it was indescribable and yet so _her_ that he almost laughed out loud. Her clit was straining, as if itching to be touched. Garrus savored her reaction as he curled his tongue around it and pulled gently.

Shepard was making such sweet noises.  She had covered her face with her hands the moment he had torn her underwear off.  Her hands were muffling her moans and Garrus lifted his head from her legs to see as he pulled at her elbows, motioning for her to put her arms at her sides.  She did, and while the eyes remained closed her gasps and moans came out unfiltered.  He dove back in, rewarding her actions with more short licks and long pressed of his tongue against her core.

Crooking a finger, he carefully nudged at her entrance, urging his lover to spread her legs wider. With a full-body shiver, she did so. His finger was much thicker than his tongue but it fit easily inside up until the first knuckle. Moving gently so as not to hurt her with his talon, he slowly began to pump in and out. A wordless cry filled the room as Shepard fought against her body’s desire to slam her legs shut, and drive the finger further inwards.  Her body shook with the effort.

With his finger deep inside, Garrus began his ministrations on her clit anew. It was swollen now, fully aroused and wouldn’t accept any direct stimulation.  Garrus instead sucked at it, mindful of his mouthful of razors. His finger was moving faster and faster now, in-out-in-out. The sounds her body made as he withdrew and thrust back inside were sinful. Her fluids covered his entire hand and had saturated the bedsheets below.

That wouldn’t do at all.

He withdrew his hand and it came out with a _pop_.  His tongue quickly replaced the digit, briefly pumping in and out before searching for that special spot deep inside. Garrus could feel the heat from Shepard’s core, it was hotter than anything he had experienced since leaving his home.  Not even Turian women were this wet, this… _juicy._ He felt he could live in this position forever – her scent and taste surrounding him until he died happy.

He noticed then that her heart was beating faster and her breathing was almost close to hyperventilation. The taste grew stronger and she began to _burn_ from deep inside.  She was almost there. Just one more push.

Grabbing her legs, he locked them in place around his head, mindful of where her legs rested atop his bony crest. Resting his own arms around her hips, he gripped tightly and slammed his tongue as far in as it would go. His nasal plate was scraping her clit on every pass and she didn’t seem to be complaining one iota. 

Shepard’s body seemed to freeze in place as she came, hard. Garrus drank down everything he could, pulling back when the heat and the moisture became even too much for him.  He brushed his hand across the damp skin, collecting fluid, and disentangled himself from the flushed legs that had held him captive.

Placing his elbows in the bed to either side of Shepard’s still quaking legs, he watched as she gasped for air before looking down towards him.  Smirking, Garrus took his sweet time in licking each finger clean, agile tongue wrapping around his talons as he stared her down.  She looked utterly ruined.

“Where,” she began, panting. “Where did you learn to do that?”

Purring slightly, Garrus crawled across the bed and collapsed beside her, head beside hers.

“I’m just a quick study.  Did you enjoy yourself?”

“I… _fuck,_ Garrus, I think you've destroyed any chance I have of being satisfied with Humans ever again.”

He looked offended. “Of course I have. I am Archangel, after all. Heaven-sent and all that.” His voice was teasing but rough, like she hadn’t been the only one ruined by the experience.  Turian women did not react like _that_.  If anything, his species was too military – sex was mainly insert Tab A into Slot B and repeat.  Turian women were dry down below anyway, so they didn’t tend to like dry tongues down there too.

“You’re amazing.”

“I know.”

“And oh so humble.”

“No need to be humble when I got the results I desired.”

“Well, speaking of desire…” And with lightning-fast reflexes not usually seen after a mind-blowing orgasm, Shepard flipped over and used her momentum to swing Garrus onto his back.  Once again, she sat on him. And once again, he really liked it.  Like, _really_ liked it.

She could feel how much going down on her had done for him and Shepard ground her hips against Garrus’s own. 

“And now it’s my turn.”


	9. Chapter 9

Shepard had never been one to back down from the unknown.  Hell, she came back from the dead (well, with a little help) and even that seemed less intimidating than this.

Garrus’s leggings had come off easily, sliding down his muscular thighs and over his spurs. He had ended up hanging off of the bed because although her bed was soft, Garrus’s bony protrusions didn’t seem to fit. Giving up, she ended up repeating his earlier action and slid down to the floor, his splayed legs over in front of her. Resting on his elbows he continued to stare at her, his hot gaze making her uncomfortable only insofact that she didn’t know how to proceed.

To put it gently, there was nothing in front of her.  Well, of course there was _something_ , but hardly what she expected.  Shepard had thought she felt his erection earlier but she must have been mistaken. All she could see was two large plates at the intersection of his groin, and nary a tip in sight.

Sensing her unease, Garrus offered up some helpful advice.

“I do have one, you know.”

“What?” She looked up briefly before returning her gaze to his groin.

“A penis.”

“Well I figured. The one thing I haven’t figured is where it is.”

A chuckle. “It is there, Shepard.  Promise. Just needs a little coaxing to come out.”

“You just gave me the best damn oral I ever had in my life and you’re saying it did nothing for you?” A bit drier than intended but it got the point across.

“It did something for me, for sure. However, we cannot all go popping out every time we see something erotic - that would be dangerous – especially on a planet such as Palaven. Just… touch me and see what happens.”

“Sure, sure…” Skeptical and dry, what a combination.

Bringing her index finger to her mouth she sucked at it until she was ready to proceed.  Bending forward, she brought it towards the plates and run her finger down the junction. What the hell--?

Far from the scratchy and rough exterior she had felt in their first ‘physical’ encounter, the tissue between the plates was soft and smooth. And somewhat pliable.

Shepard switched to her tongue, placing her hands on the plates in order to steady herself and ensure the closest contact possible. She heard a sharp grunt from the bed and a thump as Garrus dropped off his elbows and onto his back.

Slowly something began to emerge. The tissue seemed to split in the centre and the plates were shoved aside as _it_ appeared. Shepard withdrew her mouth and grasped it with her hand, coaxing it out further until she was sure that was all there was. And, _Lord,_ it was massive.

“Holy shit, Garrus! Didn’t you say you were small?” She could barely wrap one hand around it fully.

“I—oh Spirits, keep doing that!” Unconsciously she had been moving her fingers up and down the silky length, mesmerized by the colour, the texture, the, well, _everything._

“I knew Turians weren’t similar to Humans but I have to admit I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t be a monster down here.” She gestured with her chin towards _it_ , scrunching up her nose as she stared up at Garrus.  He huffed in response and turned a shade darker, averting his gaze slightly.

“Shepard, I was not lying. This would definitely not be something extraordinary in Turian culture.  Indeed, some females have made comments in the past that were less than pleasant.”

“Well they were jerks then, weren’t they?” What kind of person makes jokes about someone else’s sexual organs?  Well, a lot of people actually, but this was Garrus she was talking about. Smart, loyal, humble, tough-as-nails Garrus. He deserved better. And as he lay across her bed occasionally twitching as her hand stroked up and down gently, she was determined do her utmost. However, she had little – scratch that – _zero_ experience in this area.

“So… I may or may not have mentioned that this is all new to me.  What… exactly feels good for Turians? Like, you all seem to have a super tough-guy attitude about most things. Does that mean Turian males like… rough stuff?” She squeezed experimentally near the base of the shaft and was slightly disappointed at the lack of any reaction whatsoever.

“What? Rough stuff?”

“Yeah, you know, biting and scratching and stuff like that.” Suddenly Shepard was felt awkward. She probably should have done a little more research beforehand…

“Oh, no. Maybe? Some might but while our exteriors are hard, the rest is less so. And Turian teeth are, as I am sure you have noticed, pointy.  Turian stress relief is usually pure sex rather than oral pleasure so I must admit to being in the dark as much as you are.  Just… do whatever you want and I will tell you if it feels good.” He was trying to hold it back but his hips were beginning to move against her hand, thrusting as she continued to stroke up and down.

Thinking for a moment – mainly about how unhelpful Garrus was being – she decided to try the staples: stroke, lick, swallow.

Making herself more comfortable she lay one hand against Garrus’s muscular thigh to steady herself.  Then, she grasped the shaft tightly in one hand, moving from root to tip, tightening her fist as she went. She repeated the motion and a quiet trilling noise sounded from the head of her bed. Garrus’s hands were bunched in the sheets and she was rather hoping he had enough self-control to not drag his talons through her mattress.

Bending forward, she breathed on the blue tip and readied herself for the unknown. A tiny drop of blue liquid had emerged from the tear-shaped slit there and it was simply too much to resist. Gently, her tongue caressed the head and lapped up the drop. Hmmm, not salty at all – in actually tasted slightly metallic which made sense given the genetic makeup of the Turian species. It didn’t taste fantastic but at Garrus’s sharp intake of breath, Shepard didn’t care – she wanted to hear that sound again.

Her tongue sought out the slit again, prodding gently as it swirled around. Her mouth followed and if it was warm, Garrus was a blazing heat. Creating a loose suction, she bobbed up and down, not taking in more than a few inches at a time. In no time whatsoever, more droplets found their way onto her tongue and she drank them down just as greedily as the first.

Pulling her mouth away, she glanced up to see if Garrus was all right. She was not expecting to see him mostly upright, chest heavily furiously as he stared at her.

“Is everything okay, Garrus? Did I do something wrong?” His eyes were bright and his skin tone has gone the deepest blue she had ever seen. He was _beautiful_.

“You…” He began, and stopped. He swallowed and tried again. “You are amazing. Please… please do not stop.”

She laughed. “Okay, I can work with that.” And as she bent over again, Garrus continued.

“One thing only.”

Shepard’s eyes flicked upwards to see him leaning towards her, arm extended, and promptly found herself laying more or less parallel to him on the bed. She let go of his member and turned to face her Turian companion, eyebrow raised.

“I thought you might be more comfortable with cushioning.” As he said this, she realized that he had, at some point, stolen one of her pillows and propped his own head up with it.

A laugh. “Well thank—“

He cut her off with a mumble of “And I like to watch.”  Well, that was something not unexpected. So Garrus liked a show, it seemed.

Abandoning his lower half for a moment, Shepard twisted her body and threw her leg over Garrus’s torso, lowering her face to his. She realized that Garrus must either have softer – if that was even the right word – plating under his armor or he used some sort of concoction on his body that made him less likely to chafe delicate skin.  Whichever it was, she appreciated it.

“You like to watch? I will do my best to give you a good show, then.” She wiggled down so that her bottom touched the root of his cock and pushed up. Her own sex was damp again and she made sure Garrus could feel the heat of it and the wet as she teased him with it. Moving up again, she kissed his scarred mandible once again and licked at his mouth. His tongue snaked out to follow her trail and his hand come to grasp the back of her head, bringing her forehead down to meet his. He closed his eyes and she copied the action for a moment, not entirely sure what was happening but willing to go along with it anyway.

“Garrus?” She began.

“Yes?” His eyes were still shut and he looked utterly pleased with himself.

“Did you pick me up just now with one arm?”

His eyes opened and there was a self-satisfied look to them. “I did.”

“God, that’s so damn hot.” And Shepard kissed his nasal plate with surprising affection before moving off and settling back on the bed, making sure that she wasn’t blocking his view of what was to happen.  She wasn’t usually as confident at showing off her ‘skills’ in the bedroom but somehow Garrus made her feel brave.

It seemed like the forehead move and kissing had done some good. Garrus’s cock was sticking straight up and, if anything, someone looked even thicker. The metallic scent had increased and she could even smell herself on him.

Bracing herself again, she grasped his solid, silky length in her hand again and held it to the side as she licked her way down the shaft. His own fluid was starting to leak down so she swirled her fingertips through it and worked the shaft as she sucked at the base. Feeling naughty, she scraped lightly with her teeth and then followed up again with her tongue before repeated the action on the opposite side of the shaft. There was a gasp of surprise and a sharp moan that assuaged any fears she had of it not being pleasurable.

That moan drew put a hot heat in her lower belly and she withdrew her bracing hand and, darting down, gave her own clit a light pinch. Within moments, there was a taloned hand on her rear, fingertips resting gently across her ample bottom. He squeezed and Shepard smiled, before returning her hand to his thigh and continuing on.

She kept a steady pace of it, stroking constantly while her teeth and tongue worked the lower half of his shaft. Switching places, she moved to the head and took it back into her mouth, working it harder than before, sucking more in and bobbing up and down. Her own saliva mixed with Garrus’s lubrication to create a sound that would be the dictionary definition of xxx.

Shepard felt another hum of pleasure in her belly and it took her a moment to realize that it wasn’t her hand that was doing it. Garrus’s hand had moved past her bum and he was now rolling her swollen clit between two very dexterous fingers. His palm was flush to her own sex and with every move she or he made, she could feel herself getting wetter and wetter. Her own scent was now just as strong, if not stronger than Garrus’s and she knew that if she ever had company over in the future she would have to air out her cabin for a week!

Taking a deep breath, she eased her mouth down as far as she could, taking in as much of Garrus’ length as possible before returning upwards for air, scraping her teeth up his shaft as she went. The room was a-buzz with a rumble and it honestly took Shepard a good few seconds to realize it wasn’t the ship making the noise, it was Garrus.

Working at the length even faster, she began to suck harder, her tongue painting abstract images along the shaft as she bobbed. Her mouth was beginning to ache but she suspected that the vocalizations Garrus was making meant he was getting closer to release so she held on.

Shoving her head down, she attempted to deep-throat the biggest cock she ever dreamed of to the best of her ability. She wasn’t very successful but, dammit, it was the thought that counted!

Suddenly she felt herself being moved again as Garrus used the hand he had been pleasuring her with to move her closer to himself. She was lowered onto something very hard and had to duck down to look between her legs to see what was actually happening.

He had moved her onto his cowl, her pelvis tilted just slightly awkwardly so that she couldn’t see what he was doing. But then his hands grabbed her thighs and spread them further apart, holding them so that she didn’t have to flop very ungracefully across his chest.  Something poked at her entrance, nudging delicately as if to ask permission. It was rough, cat-like, and oh my God now it was at her clit.

Shepard pulled herself off the blue member in front of her long enough to moan so loud she assumed the entirety of the Normandy knew what she was up to. And she really didn’t give a _fuck_. Even if this was dying, she would happily do it for as long as possible.

Clenching down, she began pumping her fist up and down, mouth jerking up and down the shaft with less precision than she planned, but with just as much intensity. Mouth met hand and back again as she moaned again, deeper this time because Garrus was doing that flicking thing with his tongue and he was inside her and how the hell was she this wet?!

Obscene noises filled the air from both of them as they drew closer to completion. Shepard’s body began to quiver with exertion and her breasts heaved with the effort of trying to hold in her orgasm for as long as possible.  Garrus was now actively thrusting up into her fist and mouth, holding back – she assumed – only enough to ensure she wasn’t getting choked.

With a keening noise, Shepard came so hard she almost forgot to breath. Garrus’s tongue was still inside her and it spasmed as, she could only assume, he came just as hard as her.  She pulled off her cock just in time to avoid having to swallow everything and closed her eyes in expectation of getting drenched when… nothing happened. What…?

Still quivering, Shepard felt hands release her and she rolled over on the bed, breathing heavily. What had she done to deserve such an amazing lover?

Looking beside her, she saw that the penis was, in fact, beginning to retreat back inside Garrus’s body.  So that meant he did…?

“Garrus?” There was an answering hum from around her feet. “I, just… oh my, phew… _WOW._ ”

There was a chuckle. “I am glad you enjoyed yourself.” He sounded just as breathless as she did.

“But… did you?”

“What?” He propped himself up to look down at her. “What are you talking about? How could I not?” His eyes were wide but his colouring was returning to normal.

“You didn’t… I mean…” She squeezed her legs together a bit tighter, not sure how to proceed.

“But I did? Of course I did, couldn’t you feel me shaking?”

“Yeah but… nothing, um… came out.”

“Oh!” There was warm laughter as he sat up, grabbing her and pulling her up as well. He took her hands in his. “Shepard, I can assure you that I have never been more satisfied.  It is… a minor Turian quirk only.  We males have the ability to suppress ejaculation – but orgasms still come as strongly as ever. Turians enjoy sex, and lots of it. We could hardly be an effective battle force if all our females were constantly getting pregnant.”

“Wait, what? You can stop yourself from c—“

“Yes, of course. How do Human men stop from impregnating everyone?”

“Condoms? Or, well, they don’t at times.”

“How… old-fashioned.” A mandible twitched in amusement and they both smiled at each other, satiated for the time being. The moment was only slightly ruined when Garrus’s tongue suddenly flopped out of his mouth.

“Ummm…?” Shepard questioned intelligently.

“Well _thit_.” Came the response.  “Lookth like we may have thom compatability ithues after all.”

He looked so forlorn that Shepard had to channel her laughter into a cough.  Okay, a coughing fit.

“Okay Mr. I’ll Be Fine, let’s clean ourselves up and see Mordin. Hopefully he has something to help you with your… allergic reaction?”

Garrus nodded sadly, tongue bouncing to and fro with the motion of his head.

Pulling herself up, Shepard headed towards her personal bathroom, wrinkling her nose as she felt liquid trickling down her legs. She turned back to look at Garrus who was still sitting motionless atop the bed.

“Come on big guy, shower with me. We need to get you all healed up. I’m not finished with you yet.” And she disappeared into the bathroom with a wink. Moments later her Turian lover followed, looking slightly less unhappy.

He wasn’t finished with her either.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the hiatus! I was visiting my family for a few months and didn't really have time to do any writing.
> 
> I pounded this chapter out as fast as I could so if there are any glaring errors or things that don't make sense, let me know and I will try to fix them. 
> 
> In the meantime, I hope you have enjoyed this fic so far. Only one chapter left and I think we all know what's going to happen in it!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos keep me going. Thanks to everyone who had stuck with me thus far - you guys are the best!


	10. Chapter 10

By the time Garrus and Shepard finally got down to see Mordin, Garrus’s condition hadn’t improved. His tongue still flopped around lazily like a fish out of water and the numbness was just as strong as it ever was. Shepard seemed overly chipper about the whole thing and while her periodic chuckling had mostly subsided, every time he caught her staring at his tongue her eyes danced with amusement.

Garrus himself was not amused. At all.  He just counted his blessings that there had been no crew members around on the way down to Mordin’s lab.

Mordin was kind enough to unlock the doors upon their arrival – no doubt informed by EDI that they were coming.  His eyes were wide and bright and brimming with curiosity. The Salarian impressed Garrus by at least managing to keep his mouth shut until they were all settled – Garrus on a bench, Shepard and Mordin standing side-by-side nearby.

The professor’s eyes flicked between his two friends for a few moments, seeing things that most other people likely wouldn’t have noticed. Shepard’s damp hair. Garrus’s bluer-than-normal colouring. Shepard’s rumpled clothing.

Garrus fidgeting under Mordin’s intense stare and looked away. Mordin was in the process of turning back to face the Commander when something on Garrus’s recently exposed neck gave him pause.  The Turian was just about to break the silence when a delighted grin cracked through Mordin’s serious exterior and he looked at Shepard once more.

“Shepard! Assumed something would happen between you. Glad to be correct.” His tone seemed earnest and Garrus could see Shepard’s cheeks colour slightly. It was cute.

“However,” Mordin continued, “Both of you here means there was a problem. Was sex not satisfactory? Was cream not sufficient in reducing chafing?” He looked at Garrus with this comment. Shepard also turned to stare at Garrus, eyebrow raised in suspicion. Silence was their only answer and, seeing that Garrus was not even planning on trying to explain the situation to Mordin, took control of the situation.

“Professor, we aren’t here about sex. Not exactly.  Garrus had an allergic reaction to something he…” A momentary pause. “…ingested. Is there anything that you can give him to offer his some relief? And maybe to combat any future allergic reactions in future?”

The Salarian turned away from the both of them and hurried over to his desk, mumbling something about pertinent information being necessary. As he busied himself with beakers and test tubes, Garrus heard footsteps come towards and faced his Commander as best he could, pride only slightly askew.

“I’m not even going to ask about the cream. Mordin will have questions, are you able to answer him yourself or do I have permission?” He nodded at her second point and she wandered over towards the scientist.

“Mordin, what do you need?”

“Specifics. What, when, where, such things. Do not need to know who.” He titled his head towards her and she laughed. He must have winked. Garrus couldn’t see much from where he was, what with their backs to him, but thankfully their voices carried well in the quiet lab.

“The numbness began about an hour ago.”

“Cause of numbness?”

“I told you. He ingested something.”

“Commander Shepard, embarrassment unnecessary. Am professional. Nothing will leave lab. Be clear.”

“…oral sex.” It was a hair above a whisper. Garrus was happy he didn’t have to do the explaining.

“On you, Commander Shepard?”

“Correct.”

“Understood.  How long after oral sex did reaction occur?”

“Well…” she thought for a moment. “The first time nothing happened, the second time… not even ten minutes.”

“Ah, so either time frame of importance or quantity of ingestion.” There was a clinking as Mordin selected an amber filled beaker and poured a few drops into a nearby tube.

“Reciprocal exchange?”

“Pardon me?”

“Was there reciprocal exchange during said interaction?”

“Um, well, yes.”

“Interesting. Turians are much larger than Humans, must not have been easy.”

“It wasn’t easy to handle but we made it work. Enthusiastic participation helps.”

_Spirits_. Garrus didn’t know what was worse – listening to Shepard talk so openly about their time together or that Mordin kept asking questions. And it didn’t help that hearing about it again brought back sounds and smells and… _Keep it together Vakarian._

“Don’t get hard.” He mumbled to himself, hoping that in saying the words nothing would come to pass.

“Once more?” Mordin’s hearing was far too good, even though the numb tongue likely disguised the words to a point.

Garrus shook in head, pointedly looking away from the Salarian. Mordin, to his credit, didn’t push the matter and grabbed a small triangular package from behind a monitor. Tearing it open, he poured some into the test tube and swirled it around before placing it above a burner.  As the ingredients heated up, he continued his questioning.  


“Glad to see you have no symptoms, Shepard. No reaction. Is mouth functioning to full capacity?”

“Yes Mordin, there is nothing wrong with my mouth. My hips are slightly sore, however.” Facing Garrus, she mimed gripped something and made a pained expression.

Garrus flexed his fingers and looked surprised. Catching her eye again before she continued speaking to the Salarian, he bowed his head in apology to her.

Mordin had by now taken the heat source away and had poured the contents of the tube into a vial.  He then plugged it with a stopper. He left it where it was and walked over to a cupboard he pulled it open. He removed a green tube and brought it to the Commander.

“Good for bruises and aching. Not to be used internally. Will react poorly with Turian physiology,” he pointed at Garrus for good measure. “Must allow full absorption before prolonged contact. Continue using cream, should help.”

The affected parties both nodded their heads in acknowledgment.

“Please inform if any other issues arise. Human-Turian relations very interesting, very interesting indeed. More questions?”

“How long will it take to concoct an antidote?”

“Oh, all finished.” Mordin gestured behind him at the now cooled amber liquid. “Completed while back. Merely added flavour to make more palatable.”

“Wait…what? You said you needed information to create the medicine.”

“The Commander is mistaken. Merely mentioned desiring specifics. Never said those were required for creation of treatment. Information regarding Human-Turian relations greatly appreciated however.”

Garrus saw Shepard turn away and take a deep breath. She let it out slowly, brow furrowing in intense irritation. But she said nothing to Mordin other than her thanks (and Garrus’s of course). The scientist was right, of course, he usually way. But that didn’t make dealing with him any less frustrating sometimes.

Garrus stood up and made as if to take the vial when Mordin stopped him.

“Must apply to anything soon to touch Commander Shepard’s fluids. One drop will suffice. Return when more is needed.” He opened his hand, allowing Garrus to take the medicine. The vial was not small and it was full. Obviously Mordin had an inkling that the so-called “Human-Turian relations” would not be a one-off.

He was on his way out of the room when he realized Shepard wasn’t following and turned back to see Mordin whispering something into her ear. When he was finished she thanked him once more and brushed past Garrus, heading back to the elevator.  Garrus was swift to follow.

Shepard had already called the elevator by the time Garrus arrived.  She was headed up and he down, but promised him she would meet up with him later, once they were finished with the work of the day.  Sighing, Garrus headed to the battery to get some new clothing and promptly threw himself into his work.

 - - -

Time passed quickly for Garrus. The medicine Mordin had provided worked quickly and it was mere moments after his ingestion that his tongue was able to move properly again. That was many hours ago. Garrus hadn’t heard anything from the Commander since.  Granted, Shepard had promised to meet him later on in the day but it was still strange not to hear a single word from her – either via message or in person – all day.

Brushing the oil and rust from his person – most of the day had been spent repairing one of the cannons that decided to go on the fritz – he headed to the showers.

While the hot water pounding against him, he wondered what he was getting himself into. With regards to Shepard, it wasn’t like he had a lot of experience.  They seemed to make things work out all right but when push came to shove, would they actually work? Be compatible? He knew she had been with Kaiden, and Liara (to an extent) and quite possibly some others in her youth but those were all Human, or Human-esque.

Even Garrus himself didn’t really know how he was feeling about the whole thing. He liked Shepard – liked her a lot – and he wasn’t sure, at the end of the day, if it was just lust.  They had been together, as friends, for years. They fought side-by-side, they ate the same food, knew the same people. Garrus probably knew Shepard better than she was aware of. He loved making her smile, or laugh, and in her moments of despair he made sure to put his own desires aside and just _be there_ for her.  Was this just friendship? Or friendship with a side of benefits? Or did he really, _truly_ , care for the Commander more than just as a friend.

It was something he wondered if Shepard was considering as well.

Looking back, he had not been hiding his feelings very well. But Shepard? There would be the occasional flirtatious comment thrown his way now and then, but she did the same to much of the crew on the ship. Hers was a generally pleasant personality and sometimes, in special moments, her flirtiness just … escaped.

There hadn’t been any hints of actual sexual attraction before… before she saw his copy of Fornax. That’s what began this whole endeavor.  Garrus wasn’t sure whether to hate or love the inanimate sex mag for that.  On the one hand, it brought them closer together – much closer. On the other hand, if the only reason she was attracted to him was because of some alien fetish…

“No.” He shook his head, spraying water in all directions.  It was lukewarm now anyways, time to get out and get dressed. No, Garrus believed there was something else to the two of them. And either way, making assumptions wasn’t to the benefit of either of them.  He would just have to ask Shepard.

Within another half an hour he was dressed and hovering outside Shepard’s cabin. He bounced anxiously from foot to foot as he tried to decide exactly how to proceed.

The door hissed open and Garrus was surprised to see the Commander standing in front of him. She must have been waiting for his arrival and got tired of his procrastinations.

She looked… well, she always seemed to take his breath away and this time was no different.  She was out of uniform – dressed in something that would suit a lazy afternoon nap just right – and looked tired although she was trying not to show it.  She had also been mulling over something because the corner of her lip was bitten raw.  Inviting Garrus inside, she led him towards the couch and sat down on the end. He sat down beside her and took her hands in his.

“Shepard,” he began, “What’s the matter?”

She huffed and hummed before replying.

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea Garrus.  Things have happened so quickly between us that I never really realized… I hope you don’t have the wrong idea about me.”

“The wrong idea?”

“I’m not really a one-night-stand kind of girl.  I don’t have the emotional capacity to segment my heart in that way so… if that’s all you’re looking for, I’m sorry to say that this meeting is adjourned.” She stared at him with determination in her eyes that faltered only a little when Garrus pulled her closer.

“I understand completely. In the past I… may have been a little over enthusiastic but I am no longer a teenager. And to be honest, before quite recently I had little interest in any sexual activity whatsoever. I didn’t tell you I was attracted to you because you were a warm body; I am attracted to you because of who you are. I don’t want this to be a one-time thing.”

The woman in his arms relaxed, allowing him to bend over and press his face plates to the crown of her head – the best kiss he could manage.  It seemed to comfort her.

“If you would prefer,” the Turian continued, “we can just talk this evening. Nothing has to happen unless you want it to. I am easy either way.” That was a bit of a white lie.  Garrus had been itching for more contact from the moment the two of them headed their separate ways in the morning. But he wasn’t about to say anything about that now – not when the Commander seemed concerned that was all he cared about.

She chuckled and snuggled back into his chest. “No, talking wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. I’ve been waiting all day to see you again.”

“The feeling is mutual, rest assured. But…”

The tension in her shoulders returned and Garrus could tell that she was trying to remain casual while refusing to look at him. “But?” She asked.

“We have been friends for a long time now, Shepard, so I want you to be honest with me.”

“Always. Of course I will be.” She was still staunchly refusing to turn to face him.

“I think we can both agree that the catalyst for our recent encounters was you peeking at my datapad. Correct?”

There was silence as she thought. “Yes, I guess you’re right.”

“My question is this: do you have an alien fetish I should know about?”

Now she turned to face him. “What? Is that what you think this is? That I just want to fool around because you’re not humanoid?”

“You can understand my concern, Shepard.”

“Well right back at you, Big Guy.  You’re the one with a special edition porn magazine.”

“True enough.  I do find Humans fascinating and I will willingly admit to buying that copy of Fornax for… research purposes. However, I was not able to fully enjoy it until I… began picturing you. You invaded my fantasies, Shepard.” He brushed his forehead against hers, nuzzling. “And I would not have it any other way.”

His companion flushed and drew back, her entire face turning a deep scarlet. But there was an undertone of desire as well – Garrus could smell her excitement.

“I…” she began quickly, “I started thinking about you too.  I don’t know when it all started but… it definitely isn’t just an alien thing.  Turians are an attractive race, for sure, but … well, let’s just say that I don’t have an intense desire to fuck the Primarch.”

Garrus smothered a laugh at that.  The tension in the room was broken at least.

Shepard continued, a little hesitantly. “Garrus, you are the closest thing to a best friend I have. Even before all of this, I always knew I could rely on you and you never let me down. After Cerberus… you never even doubted me then even though many others did.  It really meant a lot to me, I hope you know that.”

He nodded. “I think… this has been a long time coming.”

“I agree.” She stood and pulled him to his feet. Letting go of his hand, she padded over to her bed and pulled her clothing off. Garrus’s tunic joined her clothing on the floor as he walked over. She was completely naked underneath her clothing – no undergarments to speak of – and the suggestion that all of it was for his benefit was like a shot of stimulant to his groin.

“How do you want to do this?” She asked, voice quavering not with fear but with arousal.

“I follow my Commander’s orders, sir.” He quipped and was pleased to see a smile grace her face.  She wiggled over to the side of the bed and reached below, showing off her _ass_ ets in a way that suggested his positioning was not unintentional.

She returned with… a magazine in her hand. An actual physical magazine.  _Fornax: Special Human Edition_ it read. Garrus gaped at her as she grinned and flipped through the pages to the end.

“I was hoping we could try something like this…”

He glanced down, drinking in the sight of the Human and Turian couple pressed up against a window, Citadel gleaming in the background.  _Phew_. Garrus was pleased because he had also been drawn to this particular image more than once. “Quite acceptable to me, Commander.”

“Do we need a condom?”

“I do not… think so? Turians have no need of such things and it is impossible for me to impregnate you. We can try a Human one if you desire, however.”

“No, no that’s okay. Just being polite. Now take your medicine, Soldier, and get over here.”

Shepard waiting until he had located the medicine and swallowed a single drop before she grabbed him from where he was standing (with her feet, no less! Humans were remarkably flexible) and pulled him down on top of her.  He managed to throw out his arms in time so no crushing of Commanders took place.

She gripped his fringe with her two hands and pulled his face to hers, full lips pressing deeply into his plates as she kissed his mouth.

Garrus sunk his fingers into her hair, gently carding his talons through the soft strands. He was a little envious, actually. Turians were stuck with what Nature gave them but this, _this_ , was highly versatile.  He gave an experimental tug, barely exerting any pressure at all, and Shepard pulled back from his mouth.

“Can I help you with something?”

“No, I—um. Your hair is nice.” He finished rather lamely.

“Uh huh.” There was suspicion in her eyes and Garrus could see the wheels turning inside her beautiful mind. “Well, if you have time to get distracted by hair, you have time to put that mouth of yours to good use!”

There was mirth in her actions as she eased his head lower, and he took the hint without much more prompting.  Opening his mouth, he extended his tongue and licked a path from her neck to her breasts.  Circling a nipple with a talon, he latched onto the other one with his tongue, pulling rougher than he had in the past. He received a moan in return and decided to up his game, to see how many more noises he could extract before—

“ _Oh God!_ ” It looked like his teeth were a bit more of a turn-on then he thought. He chose a different spot, just under her pebbled nipple and bit down again. The pressure was very light, definitely not enough to bruise her skin – let alone break it – but the breathy gasp that followed his action was very telling.  He flicked his tongue over the nipple and she shivered. Very nice.

Garrus took his time, using teeth, tongue and talons to exact sweet justice on the woman who had laughed at him earlier in the day for a completely unforeseen allergic reaction.  He pulled, he sucked, he licked, he nibbled, and by the time he shifted his vision downwards Shepard’s body was flushed pink and she was panting. Hard.

He dipped his tongue into her belly button – something else unique to Humans? – and she giggled and swatted at his head.  He took the hint and moved to his primary objective. 

She was very ready for him, he could have smelled her from a mile away and her juices were freely leaking down her thighs.  He dragged a talon down her thigh and through the trail of liquid, barely touching the hair.  Tilting his head so that he could see Shepard’s face, he held her eyes captive as he licked his finger clean, sucking it deep into his mouth to taste every last drop.  She closed her eyes first, thighs clenching in excitement.  Brushing a finger across her cheek made her open her eyes, the pupils were completely shot and were black with lust.

“ _Garrus—_ “She whined. 

The Commander had never looked so vulnerable. If anything, it turned Garrus on all the more – he was the one to see this side of her.  Of all the aliens in all the galaxies, she chose to be with him, to show him.  Even so, he knew that she could still knock him out if she tried – one long squeeze with those strong thighs wrapped around his neck and he would be out in an instant. And—how the _hell_ was that turning him on too??

He could feel his plates begin to shift, loosening, opening wider and wider. He willed himself to calm down and got down to business – preparing his lover for what was to come.  She had to be really wet or there was the very real chance he could hurt her. He really didn’t want to do that.

He lowered his face and inhaled, sending a shock to the emerging tip of his member. He wanted her – he wanted her now. He groaned, a low, gravelly sound that caused goosebumps to erupt all over Shepard’s body.  Without wasting any more time, he dove in – fingers spreading her moist lips to allow his tongue easy access. He plunged straight to her core once, twice, thrusting with his tongue in a way that his cock would soon follow.

She shrieked and her thighs locked around his head while he ate her out. The more of her he drank down, the more she melted and soon she was as wet as he thought she would ever be.  His own hand had drifted down to his plates, trying to hold them shut a little longer, teasing himself with tiny jolts of pleasure instead of allowing himself to emerge fully.

When Garrus finally pulled off and out of her, he was breathless.

“Shepard,” He looked at her, her hair tousled from the bedsheets.  “I don’t think I can hold on much longer.  I want to be inside you but I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Garrus, with as wet as I am I think I should be all right – apart from some stretching.”

“There is a way that might make it easier.  If I line up my plates with your opening, I should be able to slide in without much trouble – if you don’t mind a lot of my own lubrication. You, uh, may have been the source of that.”

“ _Do it._ ” Her breath hitched as she said it and she spread her legs wide.  Garrus bent over and extracted a final drop of liquid from Mordin’s vial, rubbing it along the few centimeters of his length that had already broken through the plates.  He stood by the edge of the bed, knees pressing into the soft mattress as he grabbed Shepard’s thighs and pulled her closer to him.  Positioning his plates against her lips he allowed himself to relax and eased himself into her wetness.

She rocked against him as his cock begin to slide into her.  It felt amazing for him, and he was quite sure she was also pleased, by the sounds she was making. _Spirits above_ he didn’t know how or why it felt so good but he never wanted it to stop.

He tried to go slow, he really did, but that sound she kept making and the pressure of her legs around his waist made him lose his mind for an instant. His mind blanked and his hips snapped forward of their own volition.  He was surrounded by an inferno and he would have kept pushing forward had he not encountered resistance.  He heard a groan beneath him and he shook his head to clear out the fog, remembering exactly what it is he was doing.

“Shepard!” He made as if to withdraw, horrified he had hurt her.  She raised her hand up signaling him to stop, to wait. He did.

“Garrus, I – Oh Jesus – don’t pull out. It aches but it feels so good at the same time.  Just… take it slow.” Indeed, she didn’t seem to be upset, she had a satisfied look on her face but her nose was twitching and her eyebrows were furrowed so something was not quite right.

“I think you’re too big to fit all the way.  Sorry Big Guy. Any further and you’ll burst through my cervix.  I would prefer that not happen.”

“I understand. I will take it slow.” Garrus braced himself against the bed, fingers digging into the mattress to gain purchase. He felt two smaller hands grab at his and he smiled as he linked fingers with hers.  He began to pull out and thrust back in – much slower this time.  His lubrication aided his movements and within no time there was no expression of discomfort on her face.  She accepted his girth and length with the same ease she took his bad jokes and poor attempts at flirting: willingly and with a smile on her face.

Shepard was tossing and turning and her moans filled the room like the cries of a wild animal. Garrus slipped a hand out of her grasp and reached below, twisting the nub that brought her so much pleasure.  She yelped with surprise and squeezed her muscles down below in retaliation.  Humans were amazing creatures – Garrus could feel her muscles ripple along his length as she tensed.

He kept up his steady rhythm until he began to notice that her breathing had grown more rapid and she couldn’t stop the gasps that kept escaping her perfect mouth. She was squeezing his cock so much it was just on the right side of painful – Garrus knew she was nearing her end.  His talon flicked her clit and made wide circles around it, careful to avoid touching the overstimulated bundle of nerves too frequently.  He bent over and carefully placed his mouth on her right breast, teeth pressing into the flesh gently.

She came violently around him, so loud that the fish in her aquarium scattered in all directions.  She looked dazed and satisfied but Garrus wasn’t ready to let her go.

“You okay?” He asked her, voice just above a whisper.

“Better than okay.”

“You have it in you for one more?”

“I – I don’t know, that was pretty earth-shattering, but why the hell not give it another go AHHH—“ Her voice trailed off into a surprised exclamation as Garrus removed his bracing hand from her bed and tucked it underneath her back.  He lifted her up, still inside her, and held her close.  He could see the blood pumping in her neck, see her heart hammering out a titanic rhythm in her chest, smell the sweat on her body.

He flipped them around and brought them both crashing into the aquarium. What remaining fish were on that side of the tank swam for cover, hiding under rocks and weeds from the titans above.

She dropped her legs to the floor but they were like jelly and Garrus had to move fast to catch them before she fell.  He brought them to rest around his hips like before, hands under her bum to keep her from sliding down.  The aquarium glass was cold but his heat more than made up for it and so she snuggled in as close as she could get.

Garrus began to thrust in once more, a slower pace this time around, one focused on lasting pleasure instead of immediate and consuming lust.  He entered deep, this angle much more suited to such penetration, and pulled out almost fully before driving back inside. It was a punishing pace for him. He was so far gone he felt he could explode at any moment but he never wanted this to end, this joining, this perfect moment.

Shepard half got his attention by kissing his mandible, pulling the end into her mouth and sucking on it got his full attention.  She smiled and her face lit up like _what did Humans believe in again? An angel, that was it._

“You’re beautiful.” He whispered, half to himself and hardly expecting her to pay attention.

“I love you too, Garrus.” Her eyes were glazed over and she didn’t seem to realize what she had said. Her eyes drifted shut and she pressed her forehead into his. His heart felt like it would burst.

“Shepard, I—“He couldn’t continue.

“It’s okay Garrus, you can finish inside me. I want to feel you – all of you.”

With a cut-off shout, he gave one final thrust and emptied himself into her. It felt like coming home, like he was right where he always belonged as cheesy as that sounded.

He stood there, still holding his lover up, as his heart slowed to a steady pace.  He opened his eyes to see her blue ones twinkling at him and she said a simple “Thank you.”

Letting her down, he slowly slid out of her.  Seconds later his one seed mixed with her own fluid began to trickle out.

“Oh, gross!” She laughed but made no move to do anything about it so Garrus picked her up and headed towards the bathroom. Turning on the shower he held her close – still not trusting her legs to hold her up.  He washed all the sweat and come and heat off her skin, taking great care not to hurt her by touching anything more than he had to.  When she was done he wrapped her in a waiting towel and carried her to her bed, letting her lie down while he ran back and washed himself clean.

When he returned from his shower she was sitting up and was drying her hair. She was still naked and her pink skin glowed in the dim light.  Seeing Garrus emerge from the bathroom made her smile, a slightly self-conscious that she must have realized made no sense considering what they had just done together.

Wordlessly she placed her towel on a nearby chair and lifted the covers, getting into bed.  She motioned for Garrus to join her and he did so wordlessly, hoping to all Spirits great and small that his bulk would not scratch or squish her during the night.

Garrus was just on the verge of falling asleep when Shepard’s comm beeped and EDI’s voice came over the frequency.

“Commander Shepard, there is an urgent message from—“

A yawn. “EDI, is it actually urgent or can it wait until morning?”

Garrus thought he heard a chuckle. EDI must be with Joker.  “It was marked urgent, Commander, but I can send a reply if you wish?”

“Yes please. Tell them I’ll contact them in the morning. Late morning.”

“Understood Commander. I will communicate this to the respective parties.”

“Thank you EDI. And goodnight.”

“Goodnight Commander. And goodnight Garrus.”

There was an exclamation of surprise and what Garrus’s sleepy mind thought sounded like “Finally!” in the background.  Then the comm clicked off and Shepard rolled over, pushing herself up against Garrus’s chest as much as possible.

“Tomorrow is another day. I’m happy I get to spend it with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished! Thank you all for the comments and kudos and I hope you enjoyed the ride!
> 
> Shakarian forever!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ME fic. I love FemShep and Garrus so hopefully they aren't too OOC. This is only edited by me so please feel free to point out any and all errors. Thank you!


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